STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Within the closing minutes, Trent Perry absorbed a tough foul that despatched him tumbling to the court docket. When he rose, a large smile cut up his face as he walked towards the free-throw line.
It was unattainable not to be ok with every little thing unfolding round him.
After a gentle uptick, Perry growing his manufacturing given the prospect to take an injured teammate’s spot within the beginning lineup, the UCLA sophomore guard reached new heights right here on a wet, chilly evening.
Perry scored 22 of his career-high 30 factors within the second half, shaking UCLA out of a number of moments of malaise because it pulled away for a 71-60 victory over Penn State on Wednesday evening on the Bryce Jordan Heart.
Every of Perry’s 4 three-pointers within the second half appeared to come back at a pivotal second, together with one from the nook off an inbounds cross from Donovan Dent that elevated the Bruins’ result in 5. He later added a three-pointer on the finish of the shot clock to push his group’s benefit into double digits.
Ahead Tyler Bilodeau added 21 factors on seven-for-13 capturing for the Bruins, who received regardless of capturing 42.6% to the Nittany Lions’ 43.5% largely as a result of they grabbed 11 extra rebounds and made all of their 21 free throws.
The large showings from Perry and Bilodeau have been particularly essential given fellow starters Dent, Eric Dailey Jr. and Xavier Booker mixed for simply two factors whereas lacking all 10 pictures.
UCLA (12-5 total, 4-2 Huge Ten) additionally discovered its capturing contact after making one among its first 10 three-pointers, happening to bury 9 of its subsequent 14.
This may need felt like a fourth consecutive street recreation for UCLA contemplating the Bruins simply performed one house recreation sandwiched between two street video games on either side. The stretch of constitution flights, resort stays and bag packing and unpacking ends Saturday with a recreation at Ohio State.
The Bruins have been taking part in their third consecutive full recreation with out capturing guard Skyy Clark, who injured his hamstring throughout the second half of the group’s loss to Iowa earlier this month. There was higher information when it got here to ahead Brandon Williams, who returned from a one-game absence brought on by a lower-body harm.
Penn State additionally discovered itself down a participant late within the first half when main scorer Freddie Dilione V suffered an obvious proper ankle harm and departed, by no means to return. Guard Dominick Stewart led the Nittany Lions (9-8, 0-6) with 16 factors.
A disjointed first half that featured Dent sitting out an extended stretch whereas apparently not feeling properly resulted in much more upbeat trend for the Bruins.
Dent returned and his group rolled off 12 consecutive factors earlier than a questionable foul on Dent with two seconds left earlier than halftime irked each the purpose guard and his coach, each of whom voiced their displeasure with officers. Penn State’s Melih Tunca was awarded two free throws that pulled the Nittany Lions to inside 29-23.
There have been some early positives for the Bruins. Backup middle Steve Jamerson II continued to offer some badly wanted hustle, scoring on two putbacks and forcing a touring violation on Tunca by staying in entrance of him amid a number of strikes.
One other large enhance got here from reserve freshman guard Eric Freeny. After lacking the primary six three-pointers of his profession, Freeny confidently buried two pictures from lengthy vary and grabbed two rebounds on the way in which to incomes 11 minutes within the first half.
However the greatest elevate unquestionably got here from Perry, his rise steadying a group nonetheless looking for consistency.
