The UCLA Bruins opened up their Pac-12 season with a hard-fought victory over the Oregon State Beavers on Thursday night. The Bruins used a balanced scoring attack to defeat the Beavers 69-62 in a game that was close throughout.
UCLA was led by guard Chris Smith, who scored a team-high 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. Smith was joined in double figures by guard Jules Bernard, who finished with 16 points and five rebounds. Forward Cody Riley added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Bruins, while forward Jalen Hill chipped in with 11 points and five rebounds.
The Bruins used their balanced scoring attack to take control of the game in the second half. After trailing by one point at the half, UCLA outscored Oregon State 41-31 in the second half to secure the victory. The Bruins shot 50% from the field and held the Beavers to just 34.5% shooting from the field.
UCLA also had a big advantage on the boards, outrebounding Oregon State 41-30. The Bruins were able to get second-chance points off of offensive rebounds, which proved to be a difference maker in the game.
The victory was a great start to the Pac-12 season for UCLA, and it showed that they have the ability to compete with any team in the conference. With a balanced scoring attack and strong rebounding, the Bruins have the potential to make some noise in the Pac-12 this season.
