UCLA routs UNC Asheville in first spherical of NCAA Tournament

Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 17 factors and UCLA raced out to a quick begin and by no means appeared again in a 86-53 victory over UNC Asheville within the first spherical of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night time.

The second-seeded Bruins (30-5) scored the primary 14 factors of the sport and rolled from there. Amari Bailey additionally scored 17 factors and David Singleton had 11.

UCLA superior to play seventh-seeded Northwestern within the second spherical of the West Region. The Wildcats beat Boise State 75-67 earlier within the day.

Amari Bailey #5 of the UCLA Bruins and Jaime Jaquez Jr. #24 of the UCLA Bruins embrace through the second half of a sport in opposition to the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs within the first spherical of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 16, 2023 in Sacramento, California.  (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Drew Pember scored 13 factors for the Fifteenth-seeded Bulldogs (27-8). UNC Asheville, which gained the Big South regular-season and event titles, has now misplaced all 5 instances the varsity has superior to the spherical of 64.

The Bruins apparently took discover of what occurred earlier within the day at this website when fellow Pac-12 No. 2 seed Arizona was ousted by Princeton 59-55.

UCLA made certain this sport was by no means unsure, making its first 5 pictures and taking a 14-0 lead on a 3-pointer by Singleton simply 3:06 into the sport.

Jaquez scored inside to offer the Bruins their greatest lead of the primary half at 34-11 they usually coasted from there.

Amari Bailey #5 of the UCLA Bruins reacts through the second half of a sport in opposition to the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs within the first spherical of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 16, 2023 in Sacramento, California.  (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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UNC Asheville: The Bulldogs got here into the sport on a nine-game profitable streak and with a school-record 27 wins however have been as soon as once more overmatched in opposition to a serious opponent. Four of their 5 losses within the first spherical of the event have come by at the least 20 factors, with their solely shut sport being a 72-65 defeat to Syracuse in 2012.

UCLA: The accidents that hit the Bruins within the Pac-12 event did not harm them on this sport. Defensive stopper Jaylen Clark (Achilles tendon) is out for the season and freshman massive man Adem Bona sat out his second straight sport with as shoulder harm. Bona might return for the second spherical.

Tyger Campbell #10 of the UCLA Bruins appears to be like on as Amari Bailey #5 of the UCLA Bruins reacts through the first half of a sport North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs within the first spherical of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 16, 2023 in Sacramento, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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With a win on Saturday, the Bruins will advance to the Sweet 16 for a 3rd straight season for the primary time since 2006-08, once they went to the Final Four every year.