CHICAGO — Grabbing the history-making rebound with rather less than three minutes to play, Donovan Dent discovered himself on the assault as soon as extra.
The UCLA level guard accomplished the subsequent possession by flinging a move to Tyler Bilodeau for a 3-pointer, exhibiting as soon as once more all of the methods he can dominate a sport.
Dent turned the primary participant in Huge Ten Event historical past to log a triple-double on Thursday night time and the primary UCLA participant to report one since Kyle Anderson did so in opposition to Morehead State in November 2013.
He stuffed up the stat sheet in memorable style throughout the sixth-seeded Bruins’ 72-59 victory over 14th-seeded Rutgers within the third spherical of the event on the United Middle.
Dent completed with 12 factors, 12 assists and 10 rebounds together with two turnovers.
Two of his most spectacular performs got here on an over-the-shoulder save of a unfastened ball whereas falling out of bounds and an offensive rebound whereas falling out of bounds that he flung to Eric Freeny for an help.
Tyler Bilodeau added 21 factors for the Bruins (22-10), who received regardless of capturing solely 38.3 p.c as a result of they grabbed 10 extra rebounds and dedicated three fewer turnovers than the Scarlet Knights.
UCLA shrugged off a sluggish first half by which each groups appeared badly out of rhythm, Bruins guard Skyy Clark lacking the rim completely on one jumper and Rutgers counterpart Tariq Francis going scoreless one night time after scorching Minnesota for 29 factors.
Francis by no means bought right into a rhythm, scoring his first factors on a pair of free throws with 9:09 left within the sport. He completed with six factors, making simply two of 11 photographs.
In the meantime, Dent was locked in from begin to end.
What it means
Whereas a victory over the Scarlet Knights didn’t transfer the needle for UCLA’s NCAA Event seeding functions, it sustained the hopes of a deep convention event run that might do exactly that.
Most bracket prognosticators have the Bruins within the Nos. 8-9 vary, which means that a few wins this week might transfer them as much as a No. 7 seed or larger. That will be vital in that it might stop UCLA from dealing with a No. 1 seed within the second spherical.
The Bruins additionally logged simply their second triumph exterior the West Coast this season.
That victory at Penn State in the course of January now lastly has some firm.
UCLA improved to 2-6 exterior the Pacific Time Zone.
Turning level
WIth Rutgers preserving issues uncomfortably shut early within the second half, UCLA’s Trent Perry gave the Bruins some wanted separation together with his play on each ends of the court docket.
Perry threw a lob to Eric Dailey Jr. for a layup in transition, drew an offensive foul on Rutgers’ Dylan Grant and fed Bilodeau for a 3-pointer. He was simply getting began.
Perry raced into the paint for an offensive rebound, drawing a foul on his putback try, and adopted with a 3-pointer. The Bruins have been all of a sudden on a 14-2 run and in management.
MVP
Dent’s all-around excellence carried his staff as soon as extra.
He now has 65 assists and simply 4 turnovers in his final six video games.
Up subsequent
The Bruins will face third-seeded Michigan State (25-6) in a quarterfinal on Friday night.
