This post was updated Dec. 4 at 10:40 p.m.

A visit from the NFL seemed to have inspired the Bruins on Tuesday night. 

With former-Husky-turned-Bruin Laiatu Latu – the 2023 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year – in attendance, the Bruins’ defense took care of business against the Huskies. 

In the programs’ 153rd meeting – and first as Big Ten opponents – UCLA men’s basketball (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) defeated Washington (6-2, 0-1) by a score of 69-58 at Pauley Pavilion in both squads’ conference opener. By the contest’s conclusion, the Bruins limited a Husky team that had averaged 73.1 points per game this season to less than 60 – including just a trio of 3-pointers. 

“You take care of the ball, you get second shots, puts pressure on the other team – eventually the ball goes in,” said coach Mick Cronin. “But our constant is our defense.”

The first seven minutes of the affair appeared a nip-and-tuck duel with four lead changes. But then the Bruin defense – which entered as the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense Tuesday – emerged to hold the Huskies without a field goal for nearly six minutes, catapulting the hosts to a 23-12 lead. 

Tyler Bilodeau seemed to be UCLA’s offensive catalyst in the early goings. The junior forward drilled his team’s first seven points, finishing the night with his sixth double-digit performance of the season. 

“Just trying to see where the double’s coming from and the rotations – and find the open guy,” Bilodeau said. “They’re able to knock down those shots and get advantages on drives.”

The Huskies showed some resilience soon after, however, responding with a 9-0 run of their own to cut the lead to 23-21. But after 20 minutes, UCLA headed into the locker room up 29-24. 

Despite the scoreboard, the Bruins’ struggles from beyond the arc lingered through the first 20 minutes. Entering the contest shooting 31.7% from deep, UCLA went 2-for-11 beyond the arc in the first half. However, that was marginally better than Washington’s 1-for-8 performance. 

UCLA wasted no time changing the narrative in the second half. 

With back-to-back-to-back triples from Bilodeau, junior guard Skyy Clark and senior guard Kobe Johnson, the Bruins went up 37-28 and never looked back. In the last 20 minutes of play, UCLA went 6-for-10 from deep to finish on a 38.1% clip. 

Sebastian Mack proved a difference maker off the bench, accumulating 16 points – seven of which came from the charity stripe – through 26 minutes on the floor to mark his fifth double-digit performance of the year.

“He’s been great all year,” Cronin said. “He’s been the only consistent offensive threat for us on the perimeter.”

But the sophomore guard did a little bit of everything Tuesday night. 

Amid gritty efforts in the paint and seemingly fearless entries into the lane, Mack also provided five rebounds, three assists and a steal in UCLA’s first Big Ten victory.

“It takes a village to win these games versus big teams like this,” Mack said. “We just trying to get everybody going.”

Despite the win, Cronin said his team appeared rusty after a lengthy layoff between games, citing a lack of athleticism and pressure.

The Bruins’ last contest came a week prior – a win over Southern Utah – before the coach elected to give his players a two-day break. But it seems that hiatus may have done more harm than good.

“I tried to force those guys to get up after them more, and I just didn’t see it,” Cronin said. “Our press is going to have to be more of a factor for us, especially at home.”