Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 24 points and UCLA held off a second-half push from Northwestern to return to the Sweet 16 in a 68-63 win on Saturday night.
The second-seeded Bruins (31-5) turned up the defensive intensity late and held the seventh-seeded Wildcats to a 1-on-12 shootout during a crucial late-game period to seal the win.
The win was marred when David Singleton went down with extreme pain and a right leg injury with 20.3 seconds left. He stayed on the pitch for a few minutes before being supported by teammates and heading straight to the dressing room. Nothing was initially known about the extent of the injury.
UCLA made it to a third straight Sweet 16 for the first time in 15 years. The Bruins will play the winner of Sunday’s game between Gonzaga and TCU in the West Region Semifinals on Thursday night in Las Vegas.
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Dylan Andrews #2 of the UCLA Bruins reacts after a three point basket in the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Golden 1 Center on March 18, 2023 in Sacramento, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Amari Bailey added 14 points and Tyger Campbell scored 12 for UCLA.
Boo Buie scored 18 points to give Northwestern (22-12) a lead, Matthew Nicholson added 17, and Chase Audige scored all 16 of his points in the second half.
The Wildcats ended their second trip to the tournament the same way they did their first six years ago, losing in the second round.
They put up a good fight against the more tournament-hardened Bruins and had one chance until they went cold late in the game.
The key moment came in the last two minutes when Adem Bona blocked a drive from Audige and sent UCLA into the substitution. David Singleton hit the 3-pointer that put the Bruins 62-56 at 1:50.
UCLA controlled the game early, denying almost every shot and neutralizing Northwestern’s scoring backfield with Buie and Audige.
UCLA players celebrate near the end of a win in a first round college basketball game against UNC Asheville at the men’s NCAA tournament in Sacramento, Calif. on Thursday, March 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
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Jaquez extended a 12-2 run midway through the half to build an 11-point lead, grabbing a steal and a dunk, followed by another dunk in transition after a blocked Kenneth Nwuba shot.
Buie eventually made his first basket of the game with a drive just before the buzzer to cut UCLA’s lead to 35-25 at the break.
Audige started the second half with 14 points in the first eight minutes after being kept scoreless before the break. The Wildcats tied it at 45 when Buie was credited with a basket for a goaltender call midway through the half.
From then on the game stayed tight until the end.
BIG PICTURE
Northwestern: The Wildcats followed their first tournament appearance with losing records for the next five seasons. Coach Chris Collins brought them back to second place in the Big Ten in the regular season and now wants to build on that.
The UCLA Bruins’ Amari Bailey #5 and Jaime Jaquez Jr. #24 react after a goal in the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Golden 1 Center on March 18, 2023 in Sacramento, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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UCLA: Bona returned after missing the last two games with a left shoulder injury. He aggravated the injury on a second-half dunk and immediately went to the bench, but returned to the game and had the key block late. His presence will be crucial next weekend.
NEXT
UCLA is two wins away from their 20th Final Four appearance.
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