There was a comforting normality amid the empty seats inside Pauley Pavilion populated by cutouts of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Henry Winkler and Jack Black, amongst different luminaries.
Jalen Hill was again on the court docket exhibiting the various methods he can affect a recreation.
The UCLA redshirt junior ahead blocked a shot in opposition to the backboard, leaped for a two-handed putback dunk and made an unselfish move, discovering teammate Jaylen Clark for one more dunk within the last minutes.
The Bruins’ house opener served as a reminder of what they’d been lacking the earlier two video games with their high inside defender and rebounder sidelined by tendinitis in his proper knee.
Hill’s return sparked UCLA to a 78-52 victory over Seattle on Thursday night time, the Bruins trying extra like a staff deserving to be nationally ranked of their first recreation after dropping that designation.
“It felt superb simply being on the market with my teammates once more,” Hill stated after posting a double-double with 11 factors and 10 rebounds to go along with three blocks and a menacing presence that the smaller Redhawks couldn’t match.
Hill’s affect was nearly instant after coming off the bench to interchange Cody Riley. He bought fouled driving to the basket on one in every of his early touches and took a move from Jules Bernard alongside the baseline for a two-handed dunk on the subsequent possession.
His return allowed UCLA (2-1) to desert the five-guard lineup it used closely final week in opposition to Pepperdine whereas additionally going deep into its bench after pulling away with a 14-0 run to finish the primary half.
Bruins redshirt sophomore level guard Tyger Campbell gutted out 17 factors and 6 assists at some point after swelling in his surgically repaired knee compelled him to be held off form and imperiled his standing for the sport in opposition to Seattle (3-2).
“It’s nothing severe, it was extra of a upkeep factor,” stated Campbell, who made all eight of his free throws after repeatedly drawing fouls on drives to the basket.
Bernard added 16 factors for the Bruins, whose defensive depth rose exponentially as the sport neared its midpoint. After making three of its first 4 three-pointers, Seattle completed the sport lacking its last 19 pictures from past the arc.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin credited Clark’s defensive vitality and toughness late within the first half with serving to the Bruins go on their massive push. They opened the second half with an 11-2 surge to take a 54-31 lead and take away any remaining doubt.
Cronin emptied his bench over the ultimate minutes in a soothing distinction to the taut end in opposition to Pepperdine that necessitated three overtimes. Sophomore guard Jake Kyman scored seven factors in quarter-hour whereas sinking his first three-pointer of the season.
No Bruin needed to play greater than 29 minutes and it didn’t matter that sophomore guard Johnny Juzang missed one other recreation due to a stress response in his proper foot and senior guard Chris Smith had one other subpar exhibiting with six factors on two-for-seven capturing to go along with 11 rebounds and 4 turnovers.
The turnovers had been one space that continued to concern Cronin after the Bruins completed with 15. They’re averaging 14 turnovers per recreation, another than their opponents.
“I’ve been round lengthy sufficient now guys, I’m getting outdated and bald, you’re not gonna ever end on the high of your convention, you’re not gonna be an actual good staff in case you’re not plus in that class,” Cronin stated. “In order that’s an space the place I’ve actually gotta clear issues up as their coach.”
There’s nothing Cronin can do in regards to the eerie quiet inside a house enviornment the place the COVID-19 pandemic will preserve the stands empty all season aside from just a few hundred cardboard cutouts of followers and celebrities. Broadcaster Don MacLean, the Bruins’ all-time main scorer, had the oddity of seeing his personal likeness whereas calling the sport for the Pac-12 Community.
The vacant enviornment compelled the Bruins to provide their very own vitality, Hill offering a profitable vibe simply by strolling onto the court docket.
“It was simply good being on the market with him in the present day,” Campbell stated. “He’s loopy on the glass and I can throw it as much as him, so it actually opened up some extra stuff for us.”
