A Rollercoaster of Emotions for UCLA

From an existential crisis to a gritty comeback, UCLA experienced a whirlwind of emotions over the course of a few hours. The final sentiment was one of disappointment. After narrowing what had been a 24-point deficit to four with just over three minutes left on Saturday, the Bruins couldn’t find the miracle finish they were seeking.

Iowa emerged victorious with a 74-61 win inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The No. 25 Hawkeyes managed to hold off the Bruins by making crucial plays during the final, foul-filled minutes. Iowa converted all eight free throws down the stretch, while the Bruins struggled to make the necessary stops, even with point guard Donovan Dent delivering a dazzling offensive performance (25 points).

When Iowa’s Tavion Banks completed a dunk in transition to extend the lead back to double digits in the final minute, the Bruins’ comeback hopes were effectively over. To add insult to injury, Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz hit a 30-foot three-pointer in the final seconds.

Even though UCLA showed significant improvement in the second half, it wasn’t enough on either end of the court. The team will need to decide whether to continue using a small lineup after it sparked their impressive comeback earlier in the game.

A Disappointing First Half

After one of the worst first halves of Mick Cronin’s era following a 10-day layoff, UCLA played as if they were inspired by the rally towels in the arena featuring the slogan “Impose Your Will.”

The Bruins launched an 18-2 run early in the second half after switching to a small lineup. They broke out a full-court press and made seven of eight shots. Dent was at the center of this resurgence, grabbing a steal that led to a Brandon Williams dunk, driving for a couple of layups, and hitting a mid-range jumper.

When UCLA’s Trent Perry stole the ball and went in for a layup in transition, the Bruins were within 47-42 with 10:44 remaining. However, a major issue arose when guard Skyy Clark suffered a hamstring injury and had to leave the game for the rest of the match.

Stirtz finished the game with 27 points for the Hawkeyes (12-2, 2-1), who shot 46.8% compared to UCLA’s 44.6%.

A Horrible First Half

The first half for the Bruins couldn’t have gone much worse. It started with an inability to finish at the rim. There were two Tyler Bilodeau misses at point-blank range — including a dunk — a Xavier Booker layup that was blocked, and a Dent lob that was deflected and stolen. That was just in the first five minutes.

Equally concerning was the Bruins’ defense, as players left the perimeter open on drive-and-dishes that led to a flurry of three-pointers.

Cronin was so frustrated with his team down by 23 points late in the half that he took off his suit jacket and berated Perry during a timeout. Despite scoring the final five points of the half, UCLA still trailed 40-22.

Questions About the Team’s Composition

UCLA arrived at the game facing questions about its big men, its defense, and its rebounding. After starting the season as the power forward, Bilodeau had increasingly shifted back to center as part of a three-guard lineup. This move provided a clear advantage on the offensive end, where Bilodeau could outmaneuver slower defenders, while not sacrificing anything on defense due to the struggles of Booker and ongoing foul trouble of Steven Jamerson.

More troubling for the Bruins was a defense that ranked among the worst of Cronin’s seven seasons in Westwood. Most of the problems stemmed from around the rim, where UCLA offered little resistance on the easiest shots. The Bruins also entered the game ranked third-to-last in the Big Ten in rebounding.

None of these issues were resolved on Saturday, leaving the Bruins to consider further changes.