PHILADELPHIA — Getting one of its top two players back was enough.
Donovan Dent returned from injury, Tyler Bilodeau didn’t and UCLA moved on Friday night after persevering in its NCAA Tournament opener.
Dent’s tight early defense and late flurry of playmaking helped the seventh-seeded Bruins hold on for a 75-71 victory over 10th-seeded UCF at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
It wasn’t easy. Or free of late drama.
Once down by as many as 14 points, UCF pulled within three with 10 seconds left after Jordan Burks made a corner 3-pointer. The Knights immediately trapped UCLA’s Trent Perry in the backcourt before fouling him.
Perry’s first free throw bounced around the rim before rolling through the net. His second was a swish.
The Bruins went back to the free-throw line after Themus Fulks’ driving layup pulled the Knights back to within three points.
After losing a tooth upon taking an elbow to the face earlier in the second half, UCLA’s Skyy Clark missed the first free throw and made the second, essentially sealing the outcome with 2.3 seconds left.
“Crazy stuff happens in March, like Trent missing three free throws,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said of the guard who made 7 of 10 from the foul line. “But I still want the ball in his hands and believe in him.”
In his first game back from the calf injury he suffered in the Big Ten Tournament, Dent logged five of his career-high six steals in the first half. He finished with 10 points, five assists and zero turnovers.
Putting together one of his best games of the season, UCLA forward Eric Dailey Jr. collected 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
UCLA (24-11) will play the winner of the late game between second-seeded UConn and 15th-seeded Furman on Sunday after overcoming some shaky moments early in the second half.
Unleashing full-court pressure, UCF (21-12) forced back-to-back turnovers leading to consecutive 3-pointers by Burks. Once on the verge of getting blown out, the Knights were down only 46-43 after Devan Cambridge added another 3-pointer.
Perry (15 points) stabilized the situation with back-to-back driving layups and a free throw as part of a personal 5-0 run. When center Xavier Booker added a 3-pointer, the Bruins were up 54-43.
A day after expressing confidence in his ability to play, Bilodeau experienced soreness in his injured right knee after going through the morning shootaround and pregame warmups, according to a team spokesperson.
Cronin said Bilodeau woke up stiff, and Cronin didn’t like the way he was moving in the shootaround.
“He wanted to play and I said, ‘No,’ ” Cronin said. “You have to be responsible for the people underneath you and try to do the right thing.”
As his teammates came out for their final warmups, Bilodeau had put on a pair of black sweatpants. Booker replaced him in the starting lineup and put together a strong all-around effort with 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
Bilodeau had seemed optimistic about a return after spraining his right knee last week against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.
“This is March Madness,” Bilodeau said Thursday, “so you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
UCLA’s defense, finally surging after so much struggle this season, faced a major challenge in containing Fulks (10 points, eight assists, six turnovers) as well as the Knights’ isolation-oriented attack.
The Bruins were up to the challenge in forcing 11 turnovers leading to 14 points by halftime.
UCLA was out and running for much of the first half while snagging nine steals, including five by Dent. His fifth steal resulted in his throwing a lob to Dailey in transition for a dunk that gave the Bruins a 13-point lead.
Nearly every oddity was going UCLA’s way as it built a 35-27 halftime advantage.
UCLA guard Jamar Brown, stuck in a 4-for-24 shooting funk from long range, buried a corner 3-pointer. Bruins center Steven Jamerson II, not exactly known for offense, sank a tough turnaround jumper. UCF’s John Bol inadvertently tipped a ball into UCLA’s basket.
Most importantly, the Bruins overcame a horrid start in which they missed their first six shots to make their next eight. That they were doing it without Bilodeau made it all the more remarkable.
Cronin had arrived here in a jaunty mood, buoyed by his team having won six of its last eight games. On the eve of the game, Cronin had talked about eating at Dalessandro’s, the famed Philly cheesesteak joint, while preparing to try similar fare at Joe’s next.
“When in Philly, you don’t eat cheesesteak, you don’t show up,” Cronin cracked. “It would be un-American. Come on.”
Cronin has special incentive to win this weekend given that should the Bruins advance to the East Region semifinals in Washington, D.C., he would get to spend more time with his daughter, a freshman at American University.
He’s halfway there.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
