LOS ANGELES — After head coach Mick Cronin called out his players’ defensive performance in its lone exhibition last week, the eighth-ranked UCLA men’s basketball team forced 21 turnovers Monday night in a 76-50 season-opening win over Sacramento State at Pauley Pavilion.

Jaylen Clark turned in a stellar all-around performance with 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists, a career-high seven steals and a block in 28 minutes.

Clark said he takes more pride in his defensive numbers over his shot attempts.

“That’s where I get my enjoyment,” Clark said. “I don’t really keep track of points.”

Cronin had just one critique.

“He has to stop dribbling off his foot, but other than that,” Cronin said, alluding to Clark’s five turnovers.

Clark led five double-digit scorers. Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell scored 14 points apiece, Amari Bailey had 10 and David Singleton scored 13 off the bench.

Singleton was 5 of 6 from the field including 3 of 3 on 3-pointers.

The Bruins (1-0) played without freshman big man Adem Bona, who was held out due to an eligibility issue “in accordance with the NCAA,” according to a release from UCLA more than an hour before tip-off. Bona was dressed and allowed to take part in pregame warm-ups.

Redshirt senior forward/center Kenneth Nwuba, who started in Bona’s place, said he was aware he would get the nod three days ago.

The program announced Bona is expected to make his regular-season debut when the Bruins return to action Friday against Long Beach State. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA trailed 16-12 just past the midway point of the first half before shaking off a 6-of-15 start from the field.

Tyger Campbell scored five consecutive points to give the Bruins the lead and ignite a 23-2 run. Sacramento State went more than 7 minutes without a made field goal, missing eight consecutive shots and committing three of its nine first-half turnovers in the span.

The Hornets finally ended the drought on Cameron Wilbon’s basket in the paint and trailed 35-20 with 1:59 left in the half.

UCLA took a 39-25 lead into the locker room.

Cronin, a perfectionist, said UCLA could have done more defensively early in the first half.

“We let Sac State get comfortable and run their offense too much early,” he said.

Clark was outstanding in a number of areas — whether it was crashing the glass, forcing turnovers or starting and finishing a fast break.

Early in the second half, Clark grabbed an offensive rebound and UCLA scored off the second chance with his assist to Singleton on a 3-pointer to go up 50-32 with 14:20 left.

It’s those types of plays, in addition to scoring, that make Clark one of the more versatile and important pieces for a Bruins team with national championship aspirations.

Who else but Clark, too?

With 8 minutes remaining, Clark stepped in front of a pass for his seventh steal of the game and finished on the break to push the Bruins’ lead to 63-41. He exited to a deserved rousing ovation with 3:09 to play.

“He can do things that other guys can’t,” Cronin said of Clark, who had 16 deflections.

Also of note, redshirt freshman forward Mac Etienne was among the first subs off the bench. Etienne, who missed all of the 2021-22 season with a torn ACL, checked in along with Singleton at the 14:16 mark. Sixty-three seconds later, Etienne recorded the first of three blocks in the span of less than a minute.

Etienne finished with four blocks and added seven rebounds in 15 minutes.

See: Clark’s steal and fastbreak dunk above.

UCLA limited Sacramento State (0-1) to just 34.5 percent shooting, including 2 of 18 beyond the arc. In the exhibition, the Bruins gave up 12 3-pointers to Division II Concordia, including eight in the second half.

The Bruins had a 26-5 edge in points off turnovers to exert its dominance and pull away late in the first half.

Starting five

PG Tyger Campbell: 14 pts on 6/14 shooting (2/4 3-ptrs), 4 assts, 1 reb, 1 stl

G Amari Bailey: 10 pts on 5/10 shooting (0/1 3-ptrs), 1 reb, 1 stl

G Jaylen Clark: 17 pts on 7/7 shooting (1/1 3-ptrs), 8 rebs, 4 assts, 7 stls, 1 blk

G/F Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 14 pts on 7/9 shooting, 7 rebs, 2 assts

F/C Kenneth Nwuba: 4 pts on 2/2 shooting, 3 rebs, 1 blk

Bench

G David Singleton: 13 pts on 5/6 shooting (3/3 3-ptrs), 2 rebs, 1 asst

F Mac Etienne: 2 pts on 1/9 shooting, 7 rebs, 4 blks, 2 stls

G Dylan Andrews: 2 pts on 1/4 shooting (0/1 3-ptrs), 1 reb, 1 asst, 1 stl

G/F Abramo Canka: 0 pts on 0/2 shooting, 1 reb

G Russell Stong: 0 pts on 0/1 shooting

F Logan Cremonesi: No stats

F Adem Bona: DNP (NCAA-mandated)

G Will McClendon: DNP (knee)

G Jack Seidler: DNP (coach’s decision)

F Evan Manjikian: DNP (coach’s decision)