Tuesday, December 3, 2019

UCLA dispatches San Jose State, 93-64. Bruins now 6-3.

Pac-12 Networks

Jeff Siegel

UCLA Athletics

uclabruins.com

LOS ANGELES – Jalen Hill and Jaime Jaquez Jr. each scored 18 points to lift the UCLA men's basketball team past San Jose State, 93-64, in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom on Sunday night.

UCLA (6-3) secured a 46-29 halftime lead and stayed ahead by at least 20 points throughout the second half. The Bruins' game on Sunday marked the team's first game back in Los Angeles since returning home from the Maui Jim Maui Invitational on Friday evening.

Hill, a sophomore from Corona, Calif., finished with his third double-double of the season (18 points, 11 rebounds).

Jaquez Jr., a freshman from Camarillo, Calif., scored a season-high 18 points in the win. Jaquez Jr. earned his second start of the season and finished the game having made 7 of 10 shots from the field.

Rounding out UCLA's list of double figure scorers included Chris Smith (14 points) and Prince Ali (10 points).

"I was obviously concerned about the fact that we played three games in Maui and didn't leave until Friday, then didn't get back until almost 10 at night," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "To have to turn around and play today is tough, but I thought the guys, their energy level was great. I was proud of them. They responded well to it. We're just trying to get better every day."

The Bruins never trailed against San Jose State (3-5) and twice extended the lead to as many as 33 points in the second half. UCLA shot 52.3 percent from the field, making 34 of 65 shots.

Hill and Jaquez Jr. each added four assists, leading all players. The Bruins finished the game with 21 total assists.

UCLA's bench scored 19 points in the first half and finished the game with 37 total points.

The Bruins led 26-14 with 11 minutes to play before halftime, when San Jose State used a 7-0 scoring run over the next 90 seconds to trim UCLA's advantage to just five points. From that point, UCLA used a 13-3 scoring run to claim a 39-24 lead at the 5:45 mark.

In the second half, the Bruins took advantage of a 13-0 run to extend their cushion to 79-46, with 9:04 to play. A 3-point basket by Singleton at the 9:04 mark pushed UCLA's margin to 33 points. Minutes later, Jules Bernard nailed a jump shot to put UCLA back ahead by 33 points (83-50, with 6:44 remaining).

In all, 14 Bruins saw action on Sunday night. Russell Stong scored his first career points, and Armani Dodson scored his first basket in nearly three seasons.

Four players for San Jose State scored in double figures. Zach Chappell tallied a team-leading 12 points for the Spartans.

UCLA will return to action against Denver on Sunday, Dec. 8. Game time in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom is 2 p.m. (PT). The Bruins' game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network, with Ted Robinson and Don MacLean on the call.

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