UCLA men’s basketball loses to No. 1 Kentucky 83-44
By Matt Joye
Dec. 20, 2014 2:42 p.m.
This post was updated on Dec. 20 at 9:30 p.m.
CHICAGO — By the time UCLA scored its first points, the game was already out of reach.
Facing No. 1 Kentucky (12-0) in the CBS Sports Classic in Chicago on Saturday, UCLA fell behind 24-0 through the first seven-and-a-half minutes before scoring its first basket. The Bruins finished the first half with a school-worst seven first-half points, and went on to lose to the Wildcats 83-44.
UCLA (8-4) found itself nearly incapable of scoring all game. From bricked jump shots to attempts swatted away by the Wildcats’ huge interior players, the Bruins couldn’t put the ball in the basket.
The Bruins made just three field goals in the first half, shooting a dismal 8 percent by halftime. Kentucky meanwhile, shot nearly 46 percent in the first half, converting several fast-break dunks, draining 3-pointers and forcing UCLA into committing more first-half turnovers – eight – than points.
The second half was only marginally better – it’s hard for anything to look positive for a team that trailed by 34 points at halftime.
UCLA did hit four of its first five shots in the second half, but it did little to chip away at Kentucky’s lead. In fact, the Wildcats extended their lead to 38 by the 14-minute mark in the second half and to 46 about five minutes later.
The Bruins were unable to draw much closer than that.
Compiled by Kevin Bowman, Bruin Sports senior staff.
