UCLA’s defense smothers Lehigh as Bruins roll to blowout win

UCLA’s defense was dominant against a winless opponent Friday night, with the Bruins controlling a game that quickly got out of hand.

The Bruins delivered their second consecutive lopsided win against a mid-major, 85-45 over Lehigh at Pauley Pavilion.

Entering the game, UCLA (3-1) had limited opponents to 54 points per game, tied for 12th nationally early in the season. Lehigh fell short of that mark.

The Mountain Hawks (0-4) struggled to overcome the Bruins’ backcourt pressure and failed to capitalize on opportunities in the frontcourt. UCLA’s stifling defense limited Lehigh to 15 of 51 shooting (29.4%).

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UCLA’s first-half offense relied on two decisive runs to build its advantage.

The Bruins opened with a 15-3 run, but allowed the Mountain Hawks to chip away, narrowing the gap to just two points. UCLA responded, closing the half with a potent 25-3 run, holding Lehigh to just three points during the final 10:35 of the first half.

Defense remained a bright spot, with UCLA forcing 11 turnovers.

On offense, the win was an ensemble effort, with four Bruins scoring in double figures.

Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with a double-double, finishing with 17 points on six-of-11 shooting and 10 rebounds.

Tyler Bilodeau, Aday Mara and Sebastian Mack also reached double figures. Bilodeau set the tone early, scoring 11 of his 15 points in the first half. Mara contributed 14 points, with the 7-foot-3 center slamming down two alley oops. Mack added 10 to round out the effort.