A new-look starting five helped No. 19-ranked UCLA race out to a 13-point lead, and the Bruins never looked back in their 79-48 rout of Sacramento State on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
With Donovan Dent, Tyler Bilodeau, Xavier Booker and Skyy Clark coming off the bench, Trent Perry was among the players to capitalize starting for UCLA (4-1). Perry scored six of his 11 points in the opening 3:37, including a successful four-point play to cap the Bruins’ 13-0 game-opening run.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin shook up the lineup, which included Steven Jamerson II and Brandon Williams making their first starts of the season, intending to inspire the defensive effort. The Bruins surrendered 38 points in the paint in their 69-65 loss at Arizona on Friday.
Cronin’s decision paid off.
Sacramento State (3-3) did not score its first points until more than six minutes into the contest. The blowout was on by that juncture, with the UCLA lead never dipping into a single-digit margin.
The Bruins held the Hornets to 13-of-54 shooting (24.1%) from the floor, including 3-of-24 from 3-point range, and limited Sacramento State to 14 points in the paint.
The Hornets’ Jeremiah Cherry, who came into Tuesday averaging 18.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, was helped off the court just two minutes in with an apparent injury. Prophet Johnson carried the load for the visitors with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Mark Lavernov added a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double off the bench.
Eric Dailey Jr., the lone season-long starter to begin Tuesday’s contest, led UCLA with 15 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double since November 2024. Jamar Brown added 10 points and six rebounds, and Booker scored 12 points and grabbed eight boards in his reserve role.
Dent and Bilodeau, UCLA’s season-long leading scorers, finished with just five and six points, respectively. Bilodeau and Clark, who scored nine points, each fouled out.
–Field Level Media
