CSU Bakersfield guard Jarkel Joiner (0) and UCLA guard Jaylen Hands (4) chase a loose ball in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
When Thomas Welsh and Alex Olesinski are the only UCLA players with made 3-pointers, it’s probably not a good sign for the Bruins.
But UCLA overcome a frigid shooting night with a strong defensive performance to take down Cal State Bakersfield 75-66 on Wednesday at Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA was 2-for-17 from 3-point range and held the Roadrunners to 29.9 percent shooting, the first time a UCLA opponent has shot below 30 percent from the field since 2015.
“I think three weeks ago we lose this game because so much of what our defense was about how we were doing offensively,” head coach Steve Alford said. “And tonight, as bad as we were offensively at times, our defense was consistently pretty good and that’s a positive, that’s growth on the defensive end.”
More from UCLA’s home win Wednesday.
Other links:
- First-half notebook: UCLA trying to grow out of free-throw struggles
- Video interviews
- Chip Kelly lands his first commit but UCLA’s recruiting class didn’t grow on Wednesday
- Photos: Jackie Robinson statue unveiled at the Rose Bowl