Andrews scores 21, Stefanovic has double-double as UCLA beats Oregon 71-63
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dylan Andrews had 21 points and seven assists, Lazar Stefanovic added 15 points and 10 rebounds and UCLA blew an 18-point lead before pulling away late to beat Oregon 71-63 Saturday night.
The Bruins have won five of their last six games following a stretch of eight losses in nine games in December and early January.
Sebastian Mack scored 16 points for UCLA (11-11, 6-5 Pac-12).
There were three lead changes and six ties in the first seven minutes of the second half before Stefanovic hit a jumper, Aday Mara threw down a dunk and Mack scored in the lane to spark a 9-0 run that gave UCLA a 57-48 lead with 9 1/2 minutes left. The Bruins never again trailed.
N’Faly Dante answered with a basket inside and followed with an alley-oop dunk to finish a pick-and-roll with Jermaine Couisnard. Adem Bona was called for his fourth foul on a layup attempt by Dante, who made both free throws with 6:20 left and Jackson Shelstad’s fast-break layup about a minute later capped a 10-1 run and made it 58-all. Stefanovic went around a screen, caught an inbounds pass and knocked down a short baseline jumper and, after an empty Oregon possession, grabbed an offensive rebound, was fouled and hit two free throws and the Bruins led the rest of the way.
Couisnard hit a 3-pointer with 4:30 left that pulled the Ducks to 62-61. Mack made four free throws and Andrews hit a 3-pointer and a jumper to give UCLA a 10-point lead with 47 seconds remaining.
Dante scored 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and finished with eight rebounds, four assists and a block for Oregon (15-7, 7-4 Pac-12). Jadrian Tracey scored 13 of his 15 in the first half and Shelstad scored all 10 of his points after halftime.
Andrews scored eight points and Mack added seven as the Bruins hit 8 of 12 from the field to open the game. The Bruins led 23-5 after Berke Buyuktuncel made two free throws with 12:20 left in the first half.
Bona — UCLA's 6-foot-10 sophomore whose block midway through the first half gave him sole possession of eighth on the program's all-time blocks list with 98 — went to the bench after he picked up his second foul, sending Kario Oquendo to the free-throw line with 5:37 left in the first half. Oquendo hit both foul shots and Tracey hit three 3-pointers in a 78-second span before Oquendo made another 3 to cap a 14-0 run that gave Oregon its first lead of the game at 31-30 with 1:07 left before halftime. Jan Vide scored inside for UCLA before Tracey made a fast-break layup in the closing seconds to take a one-point lead into the break.
Oregon was delayed getting to Pauley Pavilion, forcing the tip-off back 25 minutes, due to a presidential motorcade. President Biden is staying at the same hotel, which is less than a mile from Pauley Pavilion, as the Ducks.
UCLA heads to the Bay Area to play Wednesday at Stanford. Oregon plays host to Washington on Thursday.
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