Denver men’s hoops (4-6) faced their only power-five match-up of the season and fell to the UCLA Bruins (7-3), 81-62, at Pauley Pavilion Sunday afternoon.
A jittery Denver squad started the game in a 11- 0 hole after the first five minutes. DU settled down over the next ten minutes and clawed back into the game. A hot shooting hand from Ade Murkey allowed the Pioneers to battle back within one point with 6:20 remaining in the half, trailing 26-25. But it was turnovers, 12 total for the half, which allowed the Bruins to pull away in the final five minutes, 42 –34. Murkey led the Pioneers in scoring at the break with 13 points.
Denver faded in the second half on cold shooting, 44.7% from the field, another 12 turnovers and a UCLA rebounding advantage – 24 boards to Denver’s 12, spelled the eventual 19 point margin of victory for the Bruins.
UCLA scored 26 points off the 24 Denver turnovers and out rebounded DU 41-27. Murkey ended up with 18 points, Jase Townsend with 10. Denver faces New Mexico State Tuesday, December 10th at 7:00 pm MT at Magness Arena.
Honestly, I thought UCLA would beat DU by 30 or 40, so 19 points is a better margin than I expected.
DU probably could have made the score even closer by not playing the reserves in the final six minutes, but all of those guys will have a chance to tell their grandchildren about playing in historic Pauley Pavillion.
DU has only 1 upperclassman, so thinking about a competitive game against a UCLA program loaded with 3 and 4 star players (DU’s are mostly 2 star) isn’t really realistic at this point.
UCLA forced a ton of DU turnovers with their quickness, and there’s the difference in the game.
Pauley is arguable the temple of college hoops due to: so many championship banners, Wooden, Jabbar, Walton, etc