UCLA comes together for huge comeback and overtime win over No. 10 Illinois

LOS ANGELES – The Bruins came into Saturday’s game against No. 10 Illinois (22-6, 13-4) with their heads laid low.

It had been a difficult week for UCLA (18-9, 10-6). The team’s road trip to Michigan ended in disaster with back-to-back blowout losses that saw the Bruins outscored by 56 points.

Advertisement

If the losses weren’t bad enough, head coach Mick Cronin was at the center of controversy after the Michigan State game for pulling redshirt senior forward/center Steven Jamerson II from the game after a foul, something that Cronin later apologized for.

Cronin himself may not have been fazed, but he could see that his players were and he worried it could leak into their game against another ranked opponent.

UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) runs back on defense after scoring a three-point basket during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial.

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) runs back on defense after scoring a three-point basket during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial.

Advertisement

“Everybody’s got all the answers behind the keyboard and these kids read that stuff,” Cronin said, “I’m oblivious, but I didn’t like the look on their face before the game. It was almost like they had lost confidence and we played like that early.”

The Fighting Illini took off on a 20-0 run midway through the first half that lasted over six minutes and took a 23-10 lead. It looked as if the energy that plagued the Bruins in Michigan followed them into Pauley Pavilion.

Dispelling negativity

It may have looked bad, but UCLA wasn’t done. Seemingly through sheer power of will the Bruins took off on a run of their own, making 11 straight field goals to cut the Illinois lead down to just seven points by the time the half drew to a close.

Advertisement

As hard as the week had been and as conscious as they were of everything against them, the Bruins…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ucla-comes-together-huge-comeback-052547816.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-02-22 05:25:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.