SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Jaime Jacques Jr. scored 17 points and UCLA got off to a quickly start off and under no circumstances looked back in an 86-53 victory more than UNC Asheville in the very first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday evening.
The second-seeded Bruins (30-five) scored the game’s very first 14 points and rolled from there. Amari Bailey also scored 17 points and David Singleton added 11.
UCLA sophisticated to a matchup against seventh-seeded Northwestern in the second round of the West Area. The Wildcats defeated Boise State 75-67 earlier in the day.
Drew Pember scored 13 points for the 15th-seeded Bulldogs (27-eight). UNC Asheville, which won Huge South typical-season and tournament titles, has now lost all 5 occasions as the college sophisticated to the Round of 16.
The Bruins apparently took note of what occurred earlier in the day at this place when fellow Pac-12 No. two Arizona was knocked off by Princeton 59-55.
UCLA created confident this game was under no circumstances in doubt, creating the very first 5 shots and took a 14-0 lead on a three-pointer by Singleton just three:06 into the game.
Jaquez scored inside to give the Bruins their most significant lead of the very first half at 34-11 and they went from there.
THE Huge Image
UNC Asheville: The Bulldogs came into the game riding a nine-game winning streak and with a college-record 27 wins, but have been after once more outmatched against their best opponent. 4 of their 5 very first-round losses have come by at least 20 points, with their only close game coming in a 72-65 loss to Syracuse in 2012.
UCLA: The injuries that plagued the Bruins in the Pac-12 tournament did not hurt them in this game. Defensive tackle Jalen Clark (Achilles tendon) is out for the season and freshman Adem Bona sat out his second straight game with a shoulder injury. Bona could return in the second round.
UP Subsequent
With a win Saturday, the Bruins will advance to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season, the very first given that 2006-08, when they went to the Final 4 each and every year.
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