UCLA Basketball: 3 takeaways from Bruins last-second loss to USC

1. Losing late leads has been a dagger for the Bruins as of late

If there has been a common trend for UCLA across the three-game losing streak, it is that the Bruins have struggled to maintain late leads – and, in turn, have melted offensively in late-game situations while allowing opponents to score at will.

That much was particularly evident against USC, where the Bruins maintained a lead as large as 13 during the first half – 20-7 with just under 12 minutes remaining.  UCLA’s lead reached double-figures again with 15 minutes left in the game, and – despite being continuously whittled down by the Trojans – reached its final, sizeable gap with just under four minutes to play, where the Bruins held onto an eight-point edge, 61-53.

Problematically, UCLA would score just one more basket in those closing segments, while allowing USC to embark on an 11-2 run to close the game – capped off, obviously, by the Tahj Eaddy three-pointer.  What is additionally problematic is that this was not a one-time occurrence – it is something that has plagued the Bruins greatly as of late.

Alongside the USC game, UCLA was very much alive and competing in their losses to Colorado and Oregon, despite what the final scores may indicate.  Against the Ducks, the Bruins held a 60-51 edge with just under 10 minutes remaining – while at Colorado, UCLA maintained a narrow 57-55 lead with 6:21 left.

Except those leads quickly evaporated, and those games turned into uncompetitive setbacks for UCLA.  Oregon went on a 31-14 run over those final 10 minutes to claim an 82-74 win, while Colorado snagged a victory courtesy of a 15-4 run over the final six minutes.  In all, across those three games, at those points where UCLA maintained their largest lead before those teams went on their run, the Bruins proceeded to be outscored by an asinine 57-20 margin.

Much of those issues arise from UCLA not necessarily having a go-to offensive weapon.  Chris Smith and Jalen Hill – two of the Bruins’ best offensive players – are absent due to injury.  And, with just seven to eight players seeing regular playing time since Hill’s injury, earning double-digit performances from as many players as possible has become crucial for UCLA’s chances of winning.  But those issues also, undoubtedly, also span to the defensive end, as well.

Finding that go-to player is incredibly vital, to say the least – but it is greatly concerning that UCLA has not found that player yet, particularly considering that it is now the end of the regular season – and especially now that this is the third-straight instance where the Bruins have squandered a lead and been defeated.