Jules Bernard scored 19 points, Johnny Juzang added 18 and UCLA shot a sizzling 55.4 percent from the field en route to an impressive 76-61 win over Utah on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
Bernard and Juzang each drained four 3-pointers and three other Bruins hit deep shots as the team went 11-for-19 from beyond the arc.
The win was the fourth in a row for UCLA, which improved to 17-5 overall and 13-3 in Pac-12 play to keep neck and neck with USC in the top two spots of the league standings.
Branden Carlson scored 17 points with six rebounds and four blocked shots, but he was about the only highlight of the night for the sluggish Utes. Utah dropped its fourth consecutive game, falling to 9-11 overall, 6-10 Pac-12.
Bernard and Juzang each hit 3s while the Bruins held the Utes scoreless in the final three minutes of the first half to go into the break up 35-27.
UCLA kept the pressure on to begin the second half, as Cody Riley opened with two straight buckets followed by an old-fashioned three-point play by Tyger Campbell.
That game-changing 13-0 streak spanned the final three minutes of the opening half and the first couple of minutes in the second half.
Battin ended the Utes' drought with a layup, bringing his team within 13 points at 42-29, but that was as close as the home team got the rest of the way.
Battin and Ian Martinez each scored 10 points for the Utes, who shot 26-for-58 from the field.
Point guard Rylan Jones played again after missing four games with an injury. He didn't score but had seven assists.
Riley finished with 15 points for the Bruins, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 11.
--Field Level Media
UCLA | Utah | |
Jules Bernard 19 | Scoring | Branden Carlson 17 |
Tyger Campbell 5 | Assists | Rylan Jones 7 |
Johnny Juzang 8 | Rebounds | Branden Carlson 6 |
Jules Bernard 1 | Free Throws Made | N/A |
Johnny Juzang 2 | Steals | Timmy Allen 2 |
Jaime Jaquez Jr. 2 | Blocks | Branden Carlson 4 |