UCLA Bruins Survive UCF Knights Late Rally to Advance to Second Round of NCAA Tournament

Jacob Perrine
UCLA Bruins forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) dribbles the ball against the UCF Knights in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament.

In what became an all-out and overly physical match in Philadelphia that left both sweat and some teeth all over the court, the UCLA Bruins were able to put away a stubborn UCF Knights squad in a close 75-71 win to advance to the Round of 32 on Friday night.

Bruins Defense Shuts Down Knights in Win

Heading into tonight’s game, it was expected that both teams’ respective offenses would have a field day on the court; instead, it was a defensive showdown for the majority of the game. That shift in focus played into UCLA’s favor massively, as they forced UCF to cough up the ball countless times with over 16 turnovers in the game. That ability to force turnovers allowed the Bruins to do what they do best, sprint out in transition and snag some easy points as they scored 19 points off of UCF’s turnovers.

UCLA would need every bit of their defensive excellence to shine through since the offense seemed to take the night off in this game. The Bruins finished the game shooting just 41% from the floor and 29% from three-point range. After the Knights went on a 14-1 run to cut the Bruins’ lead down to 1 with 7 minutes, UCLA’s defense would clamp down from that point on as they held the Knights to just 30% shooting from the floor the rest of the way.

The two biggest stars on offense in the win for UCLA were both Donovan Dent and Eric Dailey Jr., who both filled up the box score in the game. Although Dent would shoot just 4 for 17 from the field and finish with 10 points, he would help out in other ways by notching 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals in the game. Dailey Jr. would have a far better night scoring the ball for UCLA, as he scored a team-high 20 points in the win.

Knights Turnovers and Poor Free-Throw Shooting Ends Their Season

Although the Knights had plenty of chances to wrestle control of the game away from the Bruins, they simply could not overcome numerous mistakes to pull out the win. While the turnovers played a major role in the loss, UCF’s awful free-throw shooting is what ultimately sealed their fate, as they shot just 31% from the charity stripe in the game. The Knights went just 5 for 16 from the line, a death knell for any team on this big of a stage.

The other biggest story was the poor play of UCF’s star-studded backcourt, which had an unusually off night against UCLA. Knights star senior Themus Fulks, who emerged as one of the best players in the Big 12 this season, struggled mightily with just 10 points while also committing 6 turnovers in the loss. Fulks backcourt mate in Riley Krugel would not fare much better, as he scored 13 points on 5 for 15 shooting from the field in the loss.

The only part of the game that really kept UCF afloat until the very end was their efficient night from the three-point line, as they knocked down 12 threes at an efficient 38% clip in the loss. However, UCLA would quickly lock that up as well, with the Bruins holding the Knights to just 30% from beyond the arc in the final 10 minutes.

UCLA Awaits UConn/Furman Result to Determine Next Opponent

Following their win against the Knights earlier tonight, UCLA will have plenty of time to scout their next opponent as they await the results of the UConn versus Furman game that is currently taking place. The Huskies are currently up 40 to 36 at halftime as of the publication of this article.