Dylan Andrews, a sophomore guard, once tried to lead his squad to the last-ever Pac-12 tournament in 2024. It was his best game as a Bruin, but a layup rattled out and time expired, signaling Oregon's victory and echoing the Bruins' disappointing 16-17 season. Just a year later, they faced a new team but the same foe. Andrews said, "We lost to them in the Pac-12 playoffs and here, so we had fire in our eyes and wanted to get the W."

UCLA's Redemption in Eugene

On Sunday afternoon in Eugene, UCLA men's basketball (8-1, 2-0 Big Ten) earned its redemption against No. 12 Oregon (9-1, 1-1). It was their first game against a ranked opponent and first true away game of the season. Andrews once again put the team on his back. After turning the ball over, Oregon's guard Jackson Shelstad put them up 71-70. But Andrews stepped back and hit a 3-pointer that banked off the backboard, giving his team a two-point advantage with no time left. His heroics led UCLA to its second Big Ten victory and first win over a ranked opponent.He said, "He (Oregon center Nate Bittle) was playing so far back that when I took the dribble, he went so far back, making it an easier shot for me to get off. During those times, you see the ball in slow motion. You see it going towards the backboard, and so the rest is history."

Offensive Prowess

Usually, UCLA's greatest strength is its stifling defense, which ranked first in the nation in scoring defense entering the affair, conceding an average of 53.1 points per game. But this time, it was their 3-point shooting that steered them to victory. As a team, they converted 12 of their 3-pointer attempts, ending the game shooting 52.2% beyond the arc. Senior guard Kobe Johnson led the shootout with three triples on 60% shooting from three. Andrews also contributed two 3-pointers.Sophomore guard/forward Eric Dailey Jr. was also outstanding. He posted his best performance in a UCLA uniform with 19 points and five rebounds on 87.5% shooting from the field and 75% shooting from deep. He said, "I was just taking whatever the defense gives me. Every day is a different game, different type of playstyle. With me, I just try to rebound as much as I can. … My teammates trusted me today, and we got the win. That's the main thing."

Defensive Efforts

Despite the uncharacteristic efficiency from long range, UCLA's defense still made its presence felt, garnering 13 turnovers, a slight decrease from their average of 18.9 forced turnovers per game, which is third best in the nation. Dailey led the Bruins' defensive efforts, garnering two steals. While UCLA failed to record a single block, six different Bruins logged a takeaway. However, Cronin felt that the Bruin defense was lackluster down the final stretch. He said, "We got work to do with our late-game defense. No block-out at the foul line. We gave up an and-one. We gave up an out-of-bounds play foul. We didn't step out on the last play, so defensively we were not ourselves at the end of the game, so we tried to give it (the game) away. We just got fortunate we got a shot to go in at the end."

Balanced Scoring

UCLA's most underrated trait is its ability to spread the ball and score. Entering the contest, three players averaged at least 10 points and nine averaged at least five a game. Against Oregon, four Bruins eclipsed at least 10 points, while two more had at least five. Sophomore guard Sebastian Mack struggled after his best performance of the season against Washington last week, when he recorded 16 points and five rebounds. But on Sunday, he scored 10 points.UCLA will face more high-stakes duels in the next three weeks, taking on No. 20 North Carolina and No. 7 Gonzaga.