LOS ANGELES — It was late in the first half Tuesday night when a usual prerecorded PSA played over the Pauley Pavilion court.
It featured UCLA head coach Mick Cronin, who urged fans to not drink and drive. With the Bruins trailing by 15 points at that juncture, most of an announced attendance of 11,121 fans may have been in search of their preferred beverage of choice.
The contest proved to be every bit of what social-media discourse would define as drunk after the 22nd-ranked Bruins erased an 18-point deficit only for their on-again, off-again offensive production to fizzle in the second half of a 94-75 loss to No. 24 Michigan.
UCLA (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten) went more than 7 1/2 minutes between made baskets shortly after erasing the entirety of the deficit. The Bruins shot just 41.7% (25 of 60), including 2 of 20 on 3-point attempts.
UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau and reserve guard Sebastian Mack had 17 points apiece to pace the effort.
Michigan (12-3, 4-0 Big Ten) shot a staggering 61.5% (32 of 52) from the field, including 15 of 28 on 3-point attempts. Center Vladislav Goldin had a game-high 36 points to go with seven rebounds and guard Tre Donaldson made six 3-pointers en route to scoring 20 points, leading four Wolverines in double figures.
Postgame press conference
Turning point of the game
After falling into a quick 13-2 hole, UCLA trailed by as much as 37-19 late in the first half following a Rubin Jones 3-pointer at the 5:30 mark.
The Bruins made six consecutive shots capped by a traditional three-point play by Mack to pull within 47-36 with 1:38 left until halftime.
The Wolverines, who made eight first-half 3-pointers, led 47-37 at the break.
UCLA then briefly found its outside shooting touch to storm all the way back with an 18-4 run to take its first lead of the contest before the midway point of the second half.
The surge included made 3-pointers from Bilodeau and Kobe Johnson and was finished off by back-to-back baskets and a free throw from Eric Dailey Jr. to put the Bruins on top 55-51 with 14:13 remaining.
However, following a Lazar Stefanovic jump shot that maintained a 57-54 lead with 13:29 left, the Bruins missed their next six shots.
Stefanovic got a second-chance basket off a Dylan Andrews miss to end the cold stretch, but by that point UCLA was again down double-digits, 79-69, at the 5:56 mark and never got within single digits the rest of the way.
Bruins standout on offense: G Sebastian Mack
Mack was one of the few bright spots early, scoring 12 first-half points and helping lead a late push to keep UCLA afloat by halftime.
Bruins standout on defense: N/A
On a night UCLA allowed season highs in made 3-pointers and points, there was hardly a shining star on the defensive end.
Why UCLA lost
The Bruins missed their first nine 3-point attempts as part of a multi-pronged slow start.
Andrews, who missed all three of his shot attempts and had just one point and an assist over 14 first-half minutes, remained mostly mired in a season-long slump.
Any chances of another comeback were hurt by 11 missed free throws, including a 14-of-23 effort in the second half.
Improbably, UCLA lost despite winning the battle in the paint (36-32), off turnovers (20-12), in second-chance points (15-11), on the fastbreak (14-8) and off the bench (25-8). Ultimately, it was too much Michigan firepower and little UCLA resistance.
