What a start to the season for the UCLA Bruins. UCLA began the season in Las Vegas against the No. 5 Arizona Wildcats but No. 22 UCLA was able to hold on for a 85-74 win in an absolute slugfest of a basketball game.

UCLA-Arizona was a game of grit

This is the sort of game that Mick Cronin predicted. A slugfest that feels like it should be being played in March. Neither team’s offense was free-flowing, everything was rough and physical. The Bruins ultimately committed 26 fouls and came out on top in the wrestling match.

The Bruins survived the Ivan Kharchenkov Show

Not only did UCLA have to survive the physicality on Monday, they also had to survive a complete heater by Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov. Kharchenkov scored 38 points to keep the Wildcats in the game. Kharchenkov went 12-20 from the field and went 12-16 from the line. He put in work on the boards too, grabbing 10 rebounds to complete the performance.

UCLA did just enough to hold off Arizona

Arizona nearly ran down UCLA late in the second half, going on a 10-0 run to make it a three-point game. The Bruins answered with a 5-0 run of their own, fueled by a Xavier Booker three and an up-and-under move by Eric Dailey Jr. which resulted in an easy layup. 

QB1 Nikola Kusturica?

The game was sealed by a dime by freshman Nikola Kusurica. After UCLA had issues inbounding the ball against Arizona’s press, Cronin had Kusturica throw it deep to Dailey for a breakaway slam to make it a five-point lead. Kusturica’s length jumps off the screen, he didn’t have a great shooting night, going 3-11 from the field and scoring nine points with five rebounds, three blocks and two steals. The other freshman, Joe Philon III, looked quite promising as well.

Trent Perry brought life to the offense

Trent Perry was UCLA’s rock in the win, scoring a team-high 21 points and hitting all 11 of his free throws. Perry saved the Bruins late in the shot clock and generated offense when it was most-needed. UCLA needed every bit of his offense in this one and that might be a theme for this season.

Arizona looked great, which wasn’t a surprise considering that they’re the No. 5 team in the country, but UCLA toughed it out and left with a super impressive opening night win.