Short of it
Long of it
Post-game Q&A
Thanks to ESPN, Matthew Loves Ball, UCLA Athletics for the videos
No. 2 UCLA Falls to No. 1 Gonzaga, 83-63
uclabruins.com | LAS VEGAS – Jaime Jaquez Jr. totaled 19 points and six rebounds as the No. 2-ranked UCLA men's basketball team lost to No. 1-ranked Gonzaga, 83-63, on Tuesday evening in the Good Sam Empire Classic at T-Mobile Arena.
The Bruins (5-1) trailed at halftime by a 45-25 margin and never closed the gap to any fewer than 16 points in the second half.
Gonzaga's Andrew Nembhard scored a game-best 24 points, had six assists and totaled five rebounds in all 40 minutes. Drew Timme registered 18 points and eight rebounds for the top-ranked Bulldogs (6-0).
"We're not a good defensive team, and we got exposed tonight by a great team," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "Their defense was better than ours, their offense was better than ours. We started trying to move the ball and play team basketball, but it was too late, obviously, when you get down 20 to them."
Tuesday's contest, which was nationally televised on ESPN, marked the 43rd meeting between the Associated Press (AP) poll's top two teams, dating back to 1949.
Jaquez Jr. was responsible for nine of the Bruins' first 15 points to open the second half as UCLA trimmed the Bulldogs' advantage to 16 points – at 56-40 – with 14:01 remaining in the game. Gonzaga answered with a 3-pointer by Julian Strawther on its next possession. The Bulldogs maintained a 20-point cushion for the majority of the game's final 13 minutes.
Tyger Campbell scored nine of his 11 total points in the second half, making all three of his shot attempts and a trio of free throws.
Gonzaga finished Tuesday's contest having shot 56 percent from the field. The Bulldogs connected on 18 of 23 free throws (78.3 percent).
The Bulldogs led by as many as 23 points in the first half and entered the locker room at halftime ahead 45-25. Gonzaga used a 29-6 scoring run midway through the first half to open a commanding advantage. The Bruins made just three of 16 shots during that span.
Four of Nembhard's 13 points in the first half came on back-to-back fastbreak layups, helping extend Gonzaga's margin to 33-10 with 8:38 to play before halftime.
UCLA did not stack consecutive baskets for the first time in the game until the 7:58 mark in the first half. Jaquez Jr. helped the Bruins secure a 6-0 scoring run.
The Bruins will stay in Las Vegas through the remainder of the week, taking on UNLV at Thomas & Mack Center this Saturday afternoon. Game time at UNLV is scheduled for 2 p.m. The Bruins' game will be televised by Stadium.
Postgame Quotes – UCLA vs. Gonzaga
POSTGAME QUOTES
Gonzaga 83, UCLA 63
November 23, 2021
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
opening statement
“We’re not a good defensive team and we got exposed tonight by a great team. They’re a great team. Their defense was better than ours. Their offense was better than ours. We started trying to move the ball and play team basketball, but it was too late, obviously, when you get down 20 to them.”
on where team is falling short right now
“Defense. All you’ve got to do is look at our numbers, even before tonight. And like, everybody was happy after Villanova. I showed our guys, you know, we only turned them over seven times in our sold-out crowd, home gym. We had to come from 10 down. I know [Villanova’s] a great team. You take your show on the road, you better take some toughness and defense.”
on Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren
“To be honest with you, I’m not really into talking about Gonzaga. I think you’ve got to ask them about that. He’s a great player. But that’s got nothing to do with why we lost. He’s a great player.”
on fixing any issues as the team moves forward
“Practice. We’ll see. You know, Cody’s not walking through that door for a couple weeks. I’m not playing him until I know he’s safe and ready. He’s got a career – not going to rush him back. So, we’ll see."
on what players have to do going forward
“We became a really good defensive team, we made the Final Four. Our offensive numbers in the six previous games and the six in the NCAA tournament were identical. This is not a secret formula. But I’ve got news for you. As good as Gonzaga is, if they come out, dribble really fast down the court and lay it in seven times in the first half, I don’t like our chances. Seven times. It was 14-0 fast-break points. They weren’t the Lakers. It wasn’t Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) to Magic (Johnson) to Byron (Scott) to (James) Worthy for the dunk. It was the guy with the ball dribbled it all the way the length of the court and laid it in. We didn’t offer much in the way of resistance.”
on halftime message
“Stop giving up layups. It’s embarrassing.”
on offensive performance
“The ball’s not always going to go in. I thought we tried to take too many hard shots early in the game and by the time we stopped trying to take hard shots to match their run and then we started trying to pass the ball more and get fouled and play more team basketball, make Gonzaga guard us, we did a better job then. But early on, we took too many shots without making them defend us. Got to make them play defense. Can’t beat them if you can’t make them play defense. Got to make them play defense.”
on if any player in particular needs to step up in terms of leadership
“All of them. I’m a big believer that every guy should always be a leader in any company, business, team. You’re either leading people in the wrong direction – even if you’re a freshman that doesn’t play, or a non-scholarship guy – you lead with your attitude, you lead with your effort. Everybody should be doing that. That’s just how we do things.”
Gonzaga 83, UCLA 63
November 23, 2021
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
opening statement
“We’re not a good defensive team and we got exposed tonight by a great team. They’re a great team. Their defense was better than ours. Their offense was better than ours. We started trying to move the ball and play team basketball, but it was too late, obviously, when you get down 20 to them.”
on where team is falling short right now
“Defense. All you’ve got to do is look at our numbers, even before tonight. And like, everybody was happy after Villanova. I showed our guys, you know, we only turned them over seven times in our sold-out crowd, home gym. We had to come from 10 down. I know [Villanova’s] a great team. You take your show on the road, you better take some toughness and defense.”
on Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren
“To be honest with you, I’m not really into talking about Gonzaga. I think you’ve got to ask them about that. He’s a great player. But that’s got nothing to do with why we lost. He’s a great player.”
on fixing any issues as the team moves forward
“Practice. We’ll see. You know, Cody’s not walking through that door for a couple weeks. I’m not playing him until I know he’s safe and ready. He’s got a career – not going to rush him back. So, we’ll see."
on what players have to do going forward
“We became a really good defensive team, we made the Final Four. Our offensive numbers in the six previous games and the six in the NCAA tournament were identical. This is not a secret formula. But I’ve got news for you. As good as Gonzaga is, if they come out, dribble really fast down the court and lay it in seven times in the first half, I don’t like our chances. Seven times. It was 14-0 fast-break points. They weren’t the Lakers. It wasn’t Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) to Magic (Johnson) to Byron (Scott) to (James) Worthy for the dunk. It was the guy with the ball dribbled it all the way the length of the court and laid it in. We didn’t offer much in the way of resistance.”
on halftime message
“Stop giving up layups. It’s embarrassing.”
on offensive performance
“The ball’s not always going to go in. I thought we tried to take too many hard shots early in the game and by the time we stopped trying to take hard shots to match their run and then we started trying to pass the ball more and get fouled and play more team basketball, make Gonzaga guard us, we did a better job then. But early on, we took too many shots without making them defend us. Got to make them play defense. Can’t beat them if you can’t make them play defense. Got to make them play defense.”
on if any player in particular needs to step up in terms of leadership
“All of them. I’m a big believer that every guy should always be a leader in any company, business, team. You’re either leading people in the wrong direction – even if you’re a freshman that doesn’t play, or a non-scholarship guy – you lead with your attitude, you lead with your effort. Everybody should be doing that. That’s just how we do things.”
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