Guard Kris Wilkes talks about his reaction to seeing Thomas Welsh go down, what he told GG Goloman at the moment and how the four-guard starting lineup affected his play against Cal.
Tag Archives: kris wilkes
Video: Kris Wilkes press conference Jan. 16
Guard Kris Wilkes talks about what went wrong against Colorado and wanting to bounce back against Oregon State.
Video: Jaylen Hands, Aaron Holiday, Kris Wilkes after UCLA’s 83-64 win over Utah
Guards Jaylen Hands, Aaron Holiday and Kris Wilkes talk about UCLA’s win over Utah, the improvement on defense and finding chemistry 17 games into the year.
UCLA knocks off No. 7 Kentucky
Must-See Highlights!!!
UCLA knocks off No. 7 Kentucky in New Orleans! #GoBruins #UCLAvsUK pic.twitter.com/K2KVQ0B6r1
— UCLA Basketball (@UCLAMBB) December 24, 2017
The answers to Kris Wilkes‘ recent struggles would be in the film, head coach Steve Alford preached. So the coach and the freshman huddled together aboard an airplane bound for New Orleans searching for ways to shake Wilkes from his funk.
Somewhere, flying 30,000 feet above the United States, they found it.
After scoring in single-digits for three of the past four games, Wilkes tied a career-high with 20 points to help UCLA upset No. 7 Kentucky 83-75 on Saturday.
The victory gave the Bruins (9-3) a much-needed marquee win in their nonconference finale and third win in as many years against the Wildcats.
While Wilkes paced the Bruins in the first half with 13 points, it was senior Aaron Holiday who sealed the victory. With the Bruins clinging to a four-point lead with 33 seconds left, Holiday crossed Kentucky’s Wenyen Gabriel over twice, drove to the basket and laid a left-handed scoop high off the backboard.
Holiday finished with 20 points, three rebounds and eight assists to seven turnovers.
The traditional basketball powerhouses traded long runs: 13 unanswered by Kentucky, a 21-2 surge from the Bruins, then the 13-2 game-tying response from the Wildcats.
Holiday capped a streak of 10 unanswered UCLA points with a pair of free throws that gave the Bruins a 12-point lead with 7:33 to go.
Less than a week after almost giving up a 24-point lead to South Dakota at home, the Bruins threatened to relinquish another double-digit lead in the second half. They committed three straight turnovers. Kentucky scored seven quick points.
But UCLA’s balanced scoring attack that had five double-digit scorers emerged right in time to stave off the comeback. Prince Ali tipped in a basket when the Wildcats cut the deficit to five. Holiday drained a shot when Kentucky got within four. Wilkes knocked down two free throws. Jaylen Hands iced the game with two more shots from the stripe.
Hands had 14 points while Ali added 12. Center Thomas Welsh had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bruins can now start Pac-12 play with a key NCAA Tournament resume-boosting win in hand. They next host Washington State on Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. PT.
Video: Kris Wilkes, Aaron Holiday after UCLA’s 77-63 loss to Cincinnati
Guard Kris Wilkes and Aaron Holiday talk about what led to UCLA’s 18 turnovers against Cincinnati, how they can get Thomas Welsh more involved and how they can bounce back after back-to-back losses.