UCLA Stuns Arizona in Gritty Opening Night Victory
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No. 22 UCLA signals it is a dangerous disruptor with an 84-75 win over No. 5 Arizona.
No. 22 UCLA opened the season with a statement, defeating No. 5 Arizona 84-75 in Las Vegas, according to CBS Sports. The victory was fueled by a physical performance across the roster, led by point guard Trent Perry, who recorded 21 points and five assists.
Other key contributors for the Bruins included Texas Tech transfer Jaylen Petty, who scored 13 points on four three-pointers, and freshman Nikola Kusturica, who added nine points, five rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and two assists. CBS Sports noted that Xavier Booker also made a significant impact with a block and a triple despite struggling with foul trouble.
Arizona entered the matchup short-handed, as forward RJ Godfrey remained unavailable due to legal issues, CBS Sports reported. While Arizona featured a formidable trio in Caleb Holt, Ivan Kharchenkov, and Mo Krivas, they were unable to overcome UCLA's gritty approach.
CBS Sports reporter Isaac Trotter noted that the performance suggests UCLA is playing at a level higher than its No. 22 ranking, describing the team as too gritty to struggle this season.