LOS ANGELES — With just 1 second left in overtime, Donovan Dent scored a go-ahead layup, propelling UCLA to a thrilling 95-94 victory over No. 10 Illinois on Saturday night after overcoming a 23-point first-half deficit.
Fans rushed the court in jubilation at the final buzzer. This marked UCLA’s most significant comeback since they erased a 19-point deficit for a 90-83 win against Oregon on Feb. 23, 2019, at home. According to ESPN Research, a 23-point comeback represents the largest ever to defeat a Top-10 team in AP Poll history.
“It was an amazing college basketball game,” noted UCLA coach Mick Cronin. “This is the second team we’ve faced this season that boasted the No. 1 offense in the country, and we managed to secure the win.”
Leading the charge for UCLA, Eric Dailey Jr. posted 20 points, while Tyler Bilodeau added 18 points and Trent Perry contributed 17.
Freshman Keaton Wagler secured an offensive rebound and scored with just 4.9 seconds remaining, putting Illinois ahead 94-93, just before Dent sealed UCLA’s comeback victory.
“The last play was frustrating; the one player you need to stop ended up scoring,” remarked Illini coach Brad Underwood. “We should have forced him to pass, but some players got out of the way. That responsibility falls on me, and I need to improve in that scenario.”
In the extra period, neither team led by more than two points.
Wagler finished with 19 points, hitting all eight of his free-throw attempts, and contributed eight rebounds and six assists.
With this win, the Bruins (18-9, 10-6 Big Ten) improved their home record to 15-1.
Visiting Pauley Pavilion for the first time since 1997, the Illini (22-6, 13-4) came off a dominant 36-point victory against Southern California, marking their largest win in a Big Ten road game in the last 80 years. They had won 14 of their last 16 games.
“For the first ten minutes, we didn’t execute a single play we practiced,” Cronin said. “We were shaken because they were making shots.”
UCLA made a comeback from an 11-point deficit early in the second half by sinking three 3-pointers, eventually taking their first lead of the game on a basket by Xavier Booker, making it 60-58.
After that, the score was tied six times as the teams exchanged narrow leads.
Bilodeau landed a 3-pointer, and Dailey managed to hit one of two free throws, keeping UCLA ahead 78-73.
In the final moments, the Illini gained the upper hand, outscoring the Bruins 13-8, with Wagler converting two free throws that leveled the score at 86-86. Dent’s attempt for a winning 3-pointer at the end of regulation missed its mark.
Illinois dominated the boards with a 43-27 rebounding advantage, including a staggering 20-8 on offensive grabs.
After leading by three, the Illini went on a 20-point scoring streak, hitting five 3-pointers to stretch their lead to 33-10, during which UCLA missed 11 shots over six minutes.
The Bruins managed to outscore the Illini 33-17 as the first half closed, trailing 50-43. During that run, Booker scored 10 points, Perry added eight, and Skyy Clark chipped in five.
This victory was a silver lining in an otherwise tough week for the Bruins, who had recently suffered road losses against Michigan (by 30 points) and Michigan State (by 23 points).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
