The UCLA Bruins took the floor looking to get a split in the crosstown rivalry against Southern California and Jaylen Hands was all for getting revenge against the Trojans.
The UCLA Bruins held a 22-point lead and were in cruise control, clinging to snap a three-game losing streak. In an instance, the unthinkable happen and Pauley Pavilion was at a loss for words when watching what had just taken place. Utah’s Parker Van Dyke buried a heavily contested NBA range 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Utes it’s only lead of the game as the time expired. Van Dykes fifth three-point basket of the game capped a 23-9 run in the final 2:45 of play and Utah went on to steal a 93-92 victory over UCLA on Saturday.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sat along court side and cheered on his alma mater. The UCLA legend also took a photo with freshman 7-foot center Moses Brown, serving as an inspiration for the Bruins highly touted Five-star recruit. “That was my first-time meeting , I always wanted to meet him,” Brown said. “We had a lot of things in common. He told me to keep up the good work.” Abdul-Jabbar was honored at halftime with his several of his teammates from the 1969 championship team with a barrage of cheers. UCLA ultimately used the loud and energetic crowd to route Arizona 90-69
The USC men’s basketball team protected home court on Saturday, Jan. 19, at Galen Center with a resounding 80-67 win over UCLA that snapped a four game losing streak to the Trojans’ crosstown rival.
For the first time in the programs 100-year history, UCLA was tasked with continuing a season amid just having fired their head coach.