UCF 71, at UCLA 75

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — In a taut, back-and-forth NCAA Tournament opener defined by critical defensive stands and a relentless individual scoring performance, UCLA survived a furious second-half rally from UCF to escape with a 75-71 victory on Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Bruins, improving to 24-11, built a double-digit lead in the first half but could never fully shake the Knights, who closed the season at 21-12. The game was ultimately decided in the final 30 seconds by a combination of UCLA’s composure at the free-throw line and a game-sealing defensive stop. UCLA appeared poised to pull away early, leveraging… Read more...