UCLA men’s basketball’s (15-7, 7-4 Big Ten) unbeaten home record at Pauley Pavilion this season snapped Saturday afternoon, following a 98-97 double-overtime loss to Indiana (15-7, 6-5), which also ended the Bruins’ three-game winning streak. Daily Bruin Sports editor Connor Dullinger breaks down his five main takeaways from the double-overtime thriller before UCLA takes on Rutgers (9-13, 2-9) on Tuesday.
Westwood needs Skyy.
Skyy Clark has not played since exiting in the second half against Iowa on Jan. 3 with a hamstring injury.
The senior guard has missed the last eight games, and consequently, the Bruins are 5-3 since falling to the Hawkeyes. The Bruins need a strong second half of their Big Ten slate to set themselves up for March Madness, and Clark’s impact on the court is paramount to the team’s success.
Not only does the Los Angeles local average 13.5 points per game, but he is one of the team’s best man-to-man defenders.
And Clark’s absence was felt particularly against the Hoosiers.
Guards Nick Dorn and Lamar Wilkerson led Indiana in scoring with 50 of the team’s 98 points. Dorn’s 3-point execution in the second half, which put the Bruins in a hole, and Wilkerson’s overtime performance could have been mitigated by Clark’s defensive pressure.
Moreover, the Bruins struggled to shoot efficiently from the field and beyond the arc, posting 39.5% and 31.8% clips, respectively.
Clark – who was shooting 47.4% and 48.6% from the field and 3-point line, respectively, before his injury – could have mended the Bruins’ shooting troubles Saturday.
Next man up.
The emergence of Trent Perry is the one silver lining from Clark’s injury.
The sophomore guard is averaging 16.8 points per game since the Iowa game and co-paced the team in points Saturday, scoring 25 on 3-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc, most notably hitting the game-tying 3-pointer from the top of the arc to send the game into overtime.
Perry almost followed up his heroic shot with a game-winner in the first overtime period, but his baseline floater landed short. Despite the miss, Perry hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the second overtime period to put the Bruins up 93-90 with 1:46 left on the clock.
It is yet to be seen how the lineups and rotations will change when Clark returns to the court. But in the meantime, Perry’s emergence as one of the best players on the roster gives UCLA a short-term advantage, and he is also an integral piece that could return next season.
Perry has shown he can be more than just a proven scorer, and he grabbed seven rebounds against Indiana.
But he needs to illustrate that he can mirror Clark’s defensive tenacity on a consistent basis.
Shooting woes.
Just as UCLA men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin said after the game Saturday, the Bruins deserved to lose.
And central to the squad’s abysmal performance was its inability to execute offensively, particularly in the second half.
The Bruins shot just 34.3% from the field and 4-for-12 from beyond the arc in the second half but notably scored just two points from the 10-minute mark until 4:18 remaining in regulation, with both of those points coming off free throws.
If UCLA wants to compete with the best of the best, including No. 2 Michigan, No. 5 Illinois, No. 9 Nebraska and No. 10 Michigan State, then going scoreless from the field for more than five minutes of second-half action is unacceptable.
While Cronin said defense and rebounding prevail over whether the shot goes in or not, the Bruins need to maintain efficient clips if they want to compete come March.
Essential to improved shooting is contributions from the team’s depth, and UCLA combined for just eight bench points Saturday. Fifth-year guard Jamar Brown knocked in 1-of-6 shots from the field despite open looks from beyond the arc.
UCLA needs Brown and the rest of the bench to knock down shots to execute down the stretch.
Three-guard lineup or nothing.
UCLA lacks size and frontcourt proficiency.
The Bruins have had their fair share of rebounding issues, but even when faced with a relatively small Hoosiers roster – their tallest starter is 6-foot-9 – the Bruins struggled to dominate the interior.
Junior forward/center Xavier Booker scored just seven points – four of which came in the paint – and grabbed two rebounds. He was outhustled on the glass by every other player but his frontcourt counterpart, redshirt senior forward/center Steven Jamerson II, who played just one minute.
Meanwhile, Hoosier forward Reed Bailey scored 24 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the field along with six rebounds and five assists, illustrating the Bruins’ inability to defend opposing big men.
The Bruins’ centers are not cutting it. And while it is ideal to have senior forward Tyler Bilodeau at power forward rather than center, it might be time to go small.
If UCLA wants to compete on the biggest stages, it may have to have its best players on the court at all times – something Cronin is willing to do. When Clark is back from injury, Cronin should try a starting five of Clark, Perry, senior guard Donovan Dent, junior guard/forward Eric Dailey Jr. and Bilodeau.
This lineup would maximize the team’s offensive capability, and while it may lack size and height, I would find it difficult for another team to mirror the starting five’s athleticism, speed and offensive talent.
A three-guard lineup would also solve the issue of what to do when Cronin has Clark, Dent and Perry all healthy.
Execution when it matters most.
The Bruins could not convert in key moments.
Dailey and Bilodeau combined for just five points and six fouls across the two overtime periods. And Perry and Brown missed open 3-point attempts that were high-percentage looks.
But worst of all was Dent’s defense on the final play of the game, allowing Hoosier forward Trent Sisley to cut behind him on the under-the-basket out-of-bounds play, which forced Dent to foul. Sisley drained the first free throw to seal the game.
There is no doubt the Bruins fought to the end and began an unlikely comeback attempt, but when plays mattered most, UCLA crumbled.
And as the Big Ten tournament and March Madness approach, every win becomes more important than the last, and dotting I’s and crossing T’s becomes imperative.
UCLA needs to figure it out before it’s too late.
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