PORTLAND, Ore. — It was the nightmare of Princeton, the embarrassment of Detroit Mercy, and the humiliation of St. Bonaventure, all rolled together on a despairing march into madness.
It was the worst kind of UCLA basketball history repeating itself, the fourth-seeded Bruins being tackled around the ankles by an energetic 13th-seeded Akron team in a furious first-round game at Portland’s raucous Moda Center.
The Bruins could have lost. The Bruins probably should have lost. The ugliest of UCLA tradition dictates that they would have lost.
But not this UCLA team. Not them. Not now.
Not Tyger Campbell, who scored eight points in the final three minutes.
Not Jules Bernard, who hit two big treys down the stretch.
And not Cody Riley, who blocked an Ali Ali layup with four seconds remaining to seal an eventual 57-53 victory and elicit a huge sigh of relief.
Just hours after it was announced that he had signed a new six-year contract, Coach Mick Cronin nearly suffered the same fate as all his predecessors dating to Jim Harrick.
It has seemed to be in the DNA of recent UCLA basketball coaches to blow an NCAA first-round gimme.
For Harrick, it was Tulsa and Princeton. For Steve Lavin, it was Detroit Mercy. For Ben Howland, it was Minnesota. For Steve Alford, it was the horrendous play-in loss to St. Bonaventure.
Was it going to happen again?
It nearly did.
Akron, which had never won an NCAA tournament game, led throughout the game and even grabbed a 47-39 edge with 7:54 remaining. The Zips then held a four-point lead with three minutes remaining.
But Bernard kept it close, and Campbell gave them the lead with eight of their last 10 points, and Riley closed it in a remarkable show of fortitude.
Next up, St. Mary’s on Saturday here, and if the Bruins don’t find their rhythm and passion for a full 40 minutes, they could be in big trouble.
The Gaels, playing right before UCLA, obliterated Indiana 82-53. The disciplined Gaels defense held Indiana to 34% shooting while outrebounding them 40-28. They have veteran leadership. They beat Gonzaga. They’re going to be a hard out.
And to think, on a night that almost ended in a debacle, the Bruins enjoyed two victories before they ever actually played.
First, it was announced Thursday afternoon that Cronin had signed that new deal just one year after signing a two-year extension. The guess is that UCLA officials were worried that the Cincinnati native would return to coach at his old stomping grounds in Louisville.
It’s a good move for the university. In three short years Cronin has energized the program and made it relevant again. He’s filled Pauley Pavilion, given the Bruins citywide buzz, and basically made UCLA basketball feel like UCLA basketball again.
Then, 30 minutes before the UCLA tipoff, another Bruins victory could be heard in the cheering that filled the Moda Center. The fans were roaring while watching scoreboard video of St. Peter’s 85-79 win over Kentucky.
This was huge for UCLA, as the Wildcats appeared to be the Bruins’ biggest hurdle on their path toward a second consecutive Final Four.
Check that. So far, Akron has been their biggest hurdle.
While the game started with Johnny Juzang hitting a sweet three-pointer and shaking his head like you can’t stop me … well, the Bruins spent the next three hours shaking their heads in frustration.
Offensively, they missed open jumpers. Defensively, they were beaten to the basket by the quicker Zips. They were generally outhustled and outfought and with 9:25 left in the first half, Akron led 16-10.
At that point, UCLA had more turnovers (3) than baskets (2). They clearly didn’t come with the energy required for even the lowest of 13th-seeded teams.
It got worse. On the play after Cronin called a timeout, the Bruins lost the ball on a 24-second violation, and how often has that happened? Enrique Freeman proceeded to hit a spinning layup over Myles Johnson and Akron led 18-10.
By then, Cronin was screaming and gesturing and literally hopping mad. The Bruins seemed to get the message. The Bruins briefly came back.
Campbell closed the gap on a driving runner-and-one, several physical defensive stops seem to rattle the Zips. Then Bernard hit a jumper, Jaime Jaquez Jr. finally hit a basket on a three-pointer, Jaylen Clark stole a pass to close the gap to one, and UCLA started winning the loose balls. The Bruins took the lead on a Jaquez free throw, but then lost focus again, allowed a couple of easy baskets, and ended the first half by losing the ball while committing their sixth turnover.
The halftime score was Akron 26, UCLA 25. The small UCLA cheering section was silent. The scene was surreal.
The Bruins were being outshot, outrebounded, and outhustled. They had made all of eight baskets, missed 16 shots, and watched Akron record five steals.
The second half began much the same way, Freeman scoring on a layup and then a dunk against a seemingly helpless Riley.
UCLA regained its footing long enough to tie the game on a Jaquez layup-and-one, and then moments after frustrating freshman
Peyton Watson came into the game, Watson hit a three-pointer to give UCLA the lead.
The Bruins crowd rose to its feet while sensing a change of momentum. But Freeman hit another layup and Akron regained the advantage. From there, the Zips kept pouring it on, and eventually took a 47-39 lead on a Greg Tribble flying layup-and-one with 7:54 remaining.
It was time for the Bruins experience, their leadership, their mettle.
In their darkest hour in these first moments of the tournament, the Bruins eventually lit up the gym with the simple declaration.
Not them. Not now.
