BYU Never Led As UCLA Rolls To Upset Victory In NCAA First Round

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – BYU basketball waited six long years to play in the NCAA Tournament as they faced UCLA on Saturday night in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Maybe the wait was too long as UCLA, a team that was had played two nights prior in this historic tournament, rolled through BYU in a wire-to-wire victory.

UCLA won 73-62 and pulled off the 6-11 upset in the East Region. BYU’s season comes to a close and they finish the year with a 20-7 record overall.

UCLA upsets #BYU in a game that saw the Cougars trail the entire way.#BYUHoops #GoCougs #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/CX2P6YPoAU

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 21, 2021

BYU made one push, but UCLA immediately answered in 2nd Half

UCLA 73, BYU 62 (FINAL): UCLA cruised to a dominating wire-to-wire double-digit win. BYU’s seniors in Alex Barcello, Brandon Averette, and Matt Haarms combined for 46 of BYU’s 72 points in the loss. The Cougars made only 18% of their three-point field goals in the defeat.

UCLA 63, BYU 52 (3:44): UCLA starting to use up the clock and showing patience on the offensive end. Jaime Jaquez has been relentless on the glass for UCLA in the second half. He flung Matt Haarms around fighting for a defensive rebound.

Brandon Averette missed a frontend, just magnifying that never was in sync for BYU all night.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. TOOK FLIGHT ✈️⁰⁰@UCLAMBB | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/kghzLZ86iM

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2021

UCLA 58, BYU 49 (7:55): Johnny Juzang bodied up Spencer Johnson. At first glance, it appeared to be a charge. Officials called it as a block and it gave Juzang an and-one opportunity.

UCLA 54, BYU 43 (10:47): BYU dug themselves out of the deep double-digit hole and cut UCLA’s lead to four. The momentum was starting to sway in BYU’s favor and you could feel it in the building, but UCLA remained calm.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. got a pair of offensive rebounds on two different possessions that led to buckets and Bruin reserve David Singleton came off the bench to give UCLA a spark. After the momentum was leaning towards the Cougars, it suddenly swung back to the UCLA with another double-digit lead.

UCLA 43, BYU 36 (15:48): BYU offense found some life in the first four minutes and made it clear they aren’t going to down without a fight. Alex Barcello got the scoring started, then UCLA’s Tyger Campbell, who was scoreless in the first half hit a three.

Barcello has been masterful in the mid-range game and then Averette hit a jumper as well. Connor Harding was providing valuable minutes on the defensive end against Juzang.

Halftime Notes

Some stats that catch my eye at the halftime break.

BYU’s shooting percentages through 20 minutes: field goal (42%), 3-pointers (20%), free throws (50%). UCLA, by comparison, (48%), (60%), and (100%), respectively.

The Cougars turned the ball over on 25 percent of their possessions in the first half. BYU is averaging only 0.964 points per possession.

And the most important stat, BYU has never led or even tied UCLA through the first 20 minutes.

Halftime: @UCLAMBB 38, @BYUbasketball 27

UCLA is (+9) in points off turnovers at the half.#BYU #GoCougs #BYUHoops

📸: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/YN5HpDvOxd

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 21, 2021

BYU never found a rhythm in the 1st half against UCLA

UCLA 38, BYU 27 (HALF): Is Johnny Juzang going to become the next Gerry McNamara in BYU lore? Juzang goes into the half with 19 points. In BYU’s last outing against Gonzaga, the Cougars put up 54 points; they end up with half of that against the Bruins.

Johnny Juzang is FEELING IT 😤⁰⁰@UCLAMBB | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ShsqUHGLz1

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2021

UCLA 34, BYU 23 (2:56): BYU fans were not happy with the officials heading into the media timeout. UCLA had a few moving screens that officials did not call, and then Matt Haarms was called for a traveling call that fans didn’t like either. Haarms, himself, wasn’t a fan of it either, getting visibly upset with the call.

UCLA's Johnny Juzang can't be stopped right now. He has 17 points and #BYU now trails by double-figures.#BYUHoops #GoCougs #MarchMadness

📸: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/Jqm4KM7ToD

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 21, 2021

BYU has turned the ball over on 20-percent of their possessions compared to UCLA’s eight percent.

The Bruins started to heat up, with Juzang knocking down everything around the court. Jake Kyman, a former BYU recruit, also got a friendly bounce to rattle in from the corner for three.

UCLA 21, BYU 17 (6:45): BYU jumped out to a big lead on UCLA in the foul department, not the scoreboard. UCLA was called for eight fouls to BYU’s two. BYU cut UCLA’s lead down to one before Jaime Jaquez Jr. got a friendly bounce off the rim to fall down, putting the Bruins back up by four.

#BYU struggling to find its rhythm on the offensive end. Cougars have 4 turnovers to UCLA's 1. @UCLAMBB – 21@BYUbasketball – 17#BYUHoops #GoCougs #MarchMadness

📸: @BYUPhoto pic.twitter.com/L7cfnIB6NY

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 21, 2021

UCLA 12, BYU 10 (11:21): Coming out of the media timeout, BYU chucked up a three as the shot clock was expiring, it clanked off the rim, and Gideon George was then called for a foul over the back. UCLA jumped out to a seven-point lead before BYU got some momentum on their side with a big three from Brandon Averette.

The following possession, Spencer Johnson forced a steal on Juzang. Johnson’s layup was blocked, but Caleb Lohner was there to clean it up.

#BYU getting a little bit of momentum after digging themselves in a 7-point hole.

Brandon Averette with a three then Spencer Johnson a steal on Juzang.@UCLAMBB – 12@BYUbasketball – 10

11:21 | 1st#BYUHoops #GoCougs #MarchMadness

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 21, 2021

UCLA 7, BYU 3 (15:08): BYU couldn’t convert on multiple shot attempts on their first offensive possession. Johnny Juzang, who came into the game with a hobbled ankle, buried a three to get the scoring started for UCLA.

BYU offensively looks completely disjointed. BYU’s first points didn’t come until the 16:07 mark when Alex Barcello knocked down a trey.

Follow Mitch Harper and his NCAA Tournament 2021 coverage from Indianapolis with BYU and Utah State by following KSL Sports on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the KSL Sports app.