UCLA Struggles Again in Tough Loss to Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio — UCLA’s basketball team faced a challenging setback on Saturday, suffering an 86-74 defeat against Ohio State at the Schottenstein Center. The loss highlighted ongoing issues for the Bruins, who struggled with defense and rebounding throughout the game.
UCLA has shown inconsistency in its performance, particularly when it comes to defending against opponents. In this latest outing, they were outmatched on the boards, conceding 12 offensive rebounds, which led to 17 second-chance points for the Buckeyes. The Bruins fell behind by as much as 19 points, with significant early second-half lapses, including a 12-0 run by Ohio State that further deflated their momentum.
"Some might say it’s tough to win on the road in this conference," one observer noted, referencing guard Skyy Clark’s ongoing hamstring injury, "but the Bruins fell short in the energy and toughness departments."
Despite an impressive 30-point performance from Tyler Bilodeau, it was not enough to turn the tide for UCLA. Donovan Dent contributed 13 points, while forward Eric Dailey Jr. fouled out with nearly nine minutes remaining after scoring 12 points. Notably, Trent Perry, who recently achieved a career-high of 30 points, managed only seven in this game.
Ohio State, now 12-5 and tied with UCLA at 4-3 in the Big Ten, shot 52.8% from the field, with standout performances from guard John Mobley Jr. and forward Devin Royal, who scored 28 and 22 points, respectively. Mobley’s scoring proved particularly difficult for the Bruins to contain, and he finished the first half with 18 points after hitting a buzzer-beater three-pointer to extend the Buckeyes’ lead.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin expressed frustration after the game, particularly regarding the performance of center Xavier Booker, who was removed from the game after only two minutes due to perceived defensive lapses.
As the Bruins regroup, they face critical decisions moving forward, especially regarding their defensive tactics and player roles, as they seek to recover from this tough loss and build upon their season.
