Tag Archives: SMU

UCLA vs. UAB scheduled to start Saturday’s tournament slate

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The NCAA Tournament’s Saturday schedule will start with UCLA vs. UAB.

The No. 11-seed Bruins will tip off against the 14th-seeded Blazers at 9:10 a.m. PT at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, with the broadcast set on CBS. The two teams both won 60-59 on Thursday, defeating sixth-seeded SMU and third-seeded Iowa State, respectively.

This will be only the fifth-ever matchup between No. 11 and No. 14 seeds. The former has won all of those meetings, and each by at least 13 points.

Of course, UCLA already beat UAB by 12 points in November, winning the seventh-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

PHOTOS: UCLA opens NCAA Tournament with thriller over SMU

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Photos from UCLA’s 60-59 win over SMU on Thursday, March 19, one that pushed the Bruins to the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32. (AP/Getty)

— UCLA is just one game away from its second Sweet 16, thanks to a thriller over SMU in Louisville.
— Bryce Alford’s game-saving shot against SMU came exactly 20 years after Tyus Edney’s 4.8-second dash against Missouri. “I was saying, this day is magical for the Bruins,” Edney told columnist Mark Whicker.

VIDEO: Kevon Looney talks about UCLA’s win over SMU

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Kevon Looney donned his new mask against SMU, the fully transparent version protecting his still-healing facial fracture. The freshman forward finished 3 of 8 from the field for six points in the 60-59 win, but grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with an assist and a steal.

“Still getting used to it,” Looney said of the mask. “I shot the ball terribly today. Airballed a three. But I’m still doing everything else, like rebound and make plays and get steals and stuff like that. Shooting will come. I’m real comfortable now.”

VIDEO: Norman Powell talks about UCLA’s win over SMU

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Norman Powell scored 19 points in UCLA’s 60-59 win over SMU in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 64. It was the senior who broke UCLA out of an 8:40 scoring drought in the second half, hitting a layup with 4:16 on the clock.

He then assisted on Bryce Alford’s sixth and seventh 3-pointers, and finished with four assists, six rebounds, a block and a steal. He was responsible for nine of UCLA’ 14 free throw attempts, and was perfect at the line.

“We’re going to enjoy tonight,” Powell said. “Coach said we’re going to relax, have fun, and just enjoy this win. We have a day to prepare for (UAB in the next round). It’s getting focused on them the next morning.”

Too bad he had to take a final at the team hotel after the game.

VIDEO: Thomas Welsh talks about UCLA’s win over SMU

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Freshman center Thomas Welsh had one of the best games of his UCLA career, notching two points, six rebounds, four blocks in a 60-59 win over SMU to start the NCAA Tournament. He also made a key steal with 24 seconds left — making it possible for Bryce Alford to heave up his final, goaltended 3-point shot.

Asked what he was thinking when Alford’s shot was in the air, Welsh laughed and said: “That’s a great question. … Bryce was on fire all day. I thought it was a great look at it. I was just stunned when the guy went up and touched the ball.”