Without Tyler Bilodeau, Ucla Edges Central Florida To Advance At Ncaa Tournament

PHILADELPHIA — After missing its first 7 shots, things yet started to click for UCLA successful its NCAA tourney opener against Central Florida connected Friday night. The Bruins shook disconnected their early jitters by hitting their adjacent 8 shots to quickly build a 13-point lead midway done nan half.

From there, nan seventh-seeded Bruins, playing without starring scorer Tyler Bilodeau held disconnected No. 10 Central Florida’s 2nd half comeback bid to station a 75-71 win.

UCLA will play nan victor of No. 2 Connecticut vs. No. 15 Furman connected Sunday successful nan 2nd round.

With Bilodeau retired because of a sprained knee he sustained successful nan Big Ten tournament, 6-foot-8 defender Eric Dailey Jr. led nan measurement pinch 20 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. Xavier Booker, starting successful spot of Bilodeau, added 15 points and 8 rebounds. Trent Perry besides scored 15 points and Donovan Dent scored 10. Jordan Burks and Ryan Kugel topped nan Knights pinch 22 and 13 points, respectively.

After a precocious UCF flurry trim a 14-point Bruins’ lead to 35-27 astatine nan half, UCLA went backmost to activity successful nan 2nd half, pinch a Booker jumper helping UCLA return a 46-32 lead. But Central Florida wasn’t giving up.

The Knights responded pinch an 11-0 run, knocking down 3 from beyond nan arc, making it a 1 possession game, 46-43.

That was arsenic adjacent arsenic UCF sewage until nan last seconds. A three-pointer by Burks pinch 10 seconds near made it a three-point crippled again. Perry past made 2 free throws earlier Themus Fulks quickly scored connected a driving layup. Skyy Clark, who mislaid a bony earlier successful nan 2nd half while battling for a loose ball, past made 1 of 2 free throws successful nan last seconds to unafraid nan win.

UCLA’s Trent Perry, left, shoots complete Central Florida’s Themus Fulks during nan first half Friday.

(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)