Mack Assault. The Return of the Mack. The Mack Strikes Again.
Each nickname match Sebastian Mack on Tuesday evening, when the UCLA guard got here off the bench to spark his group each time it wanted a elevate in its first-ever Huge Ten Convention recreation.
It wasn’t simply Mack’s regular array of drives towards the basket that helped the Bruins maintain off Washington for a 69-58 victory at Pauley Pavilion.
The sophomore additionally was a steadying pressure along with his rebounding and protection. He completed with 16 factors, 5 rebounds, three assists and one steal because the Bruins (7-1) received their sixth consecutive recreation heading right into a highway showdown in opposition to unbeaten Oregon on Sunday.
Mack’s three-pointer with 4 minutes 13 seconds left lifted UCLA to an 11-point lead, energizing the liveliest house crowd of the season. Ahead Tyler Bilodeau contributed 16 factors and 9 rebounds and level guard Dylan Andrews added 12 factors for the Bruins.
After Mick Cronin’s group beat up on virtually each nonconference opponent, UCLA’s victories coming by a mean of 33 factors, the coach wished to see if the identical favorable tendencies would maintain up within the Huge Ten opener.
May the Bruins nonetheless pressure turnovers at an absurd price?
May they make scoring a chore?
May they win comfortably?
No, sure and sure.
UCLA heart Aday Mara celebrates after scoring in opposition to Washington within the first half Tuesday evening.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
UCLA pressured solely 12 turnovers and made simply 11 of twenty-two free throws however prevailed due to its regular suffocating protection that restricted Washington to 38.8% capturing. Ahead Nice Osobor scored 14 factors for the Huskies (6-2), who made solely three of 16 three-pointers (18.8%).
UCLA withstood a sloppy stretch during which it went scoreless for greater than six minutes to carry a 29-24 halftime lead. It regarded just like the Bruins may give Washington the identical kind of flogging it handed its earlier opponents when backup heart Aday Mara made a putback to cap a 12-0 run that gave UCLA a 23-12 benefit. The 7-foot-3 Mara had been an enormous issue to that time, piling up 4 factors, three rebounds and two blocks in solely seven minutes earlier than choosing up a second foul and heading to the bench.
UCLA’s Dylan Andrews, proper, grabs a rebound in entrance of Washington heart KC Ibekwe and UCLA heart Aday Mara within the first half.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
The Huskies countered with a 9-0 run fueled partly by UCLA turnovers. Andrews was an particularly egregious offender, shedding his dribble for one turnover and failing to get the ball inbounds inside 5 seconds for one more.
UCLA was lucky that Mack went on the assault, repeatedly driving to the basket and getting fouled to assist his group prolong its slim cushion.
