Bruins Battle Akron For Close 1st Round Win

(East Los Angeles, CA) March 19, 2022 [From The Editor’s Desk]: The familiar and popular UCLA Bruins colors, UCLA Blue and Gold, gave the millions of their fans, and the vast spectrum of viewers of the NCAA’s 2022 opening and 2nd round of its annual “March Madness” tournament, the immediate connection to one of the most fabled and popular university basketball teams in America and beyond. The continued national fan support in this edition of the “Big Dance” featuring a total of (68) invitees has grown by yet another mile in its popularity now that the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be waning.

By the end of this Weekend #1, there will be only (16) teams left after completing Rounds 1 & 2. Then, on Thursday, it’s the Regional Semifinals, and by the end of next Saturday, the Regional Finals will have taken place. The Final Four or National Semifinals take place in New Orleans on April 2nd, followed by the National Championship on Monday, April 4th at 6:00 pm on CBS.  The “Road To The Final Four” is now well underway.

Back to the tournament once more, and then on to the Bruins game recap. The single elimination tournament, three weeks in length, has become the most powerful and highest standard of play for colleges and universities. The facing of a “1 and Done” environment makes each and every game a fan’s  delight, with more “buzzer-beaters” and miraculous upsets by lower seeds over the higher seeds. We’ve now already seen and heard several of  the “super ecstatic” last second descriptions that have been called by the four networks’ broadcasters. And we’ve only just begun. 

Let’s get to the Bruins vs. the Akron University “Zips” now and read the recap of their 1st Round match-up.

[Game Summary]: {1st Half} Although the Bruins were the higher seed and “odds-on” favorite, they were not without faults in finding their recent games-played rhythms. In fact, the Zips looked, and were the sharper team at least to start the contest. They led early and at the (6:10) mark left in the half, they were leading (18-15). Offensive runs by wither squad were not happening and from this point to the half, it was back and forth. The Bruins strung points together by spreading their offense with Cody Riley, Jaime Jaquez, Jr. doing most of the damage. Jaquez, Jr. led the Bruins by scoring the last (6) points of the period for them. Meanwhile, the Zips were comfortable with their defense as it kept the Bruins from pouring in 3 pointers from Johnny Juzang, Jules Bernard, and Tyger Campbell, or from going on big scoring runs. The Zips’ Enrique Freeman and reserve point guard, Xavier Castañeda contributed to most of Akron’s 26 points scored in the half.

(HALFTIME SCORE):  Akron  26    UCLA   25

{2nd Half} The teams traded baskets, the first, came from Akron’s Enrique Freeman, who added a baseline dunk on his second shot, and a bucket by UCLA’s Campbell. Then, a sign of keen situational offensive awareness was detected in Jaquez, Jr.’s mindset, as he began to distribute the ball more often, finding teammates open for crucial baskets, all while keeping the score very close. He started this approach when he found Juzang open for a jump shot at the (17:00) minute mark. On the Akron side, the scenario turned very bad, as Freeman was tagged for his third foul . He was immediately taken out. The score at this time was Akron 32, UCLA 29.

It was “nip and tuck” from this point on, as the Bruins began to share the ball more with Jaquez, Jr. hitting free throws and field goals. And then, with Cody Riley and Myles Johnson on the bench with foul trouble, Coach Cronin inserted Peyton Watson who hit a timely momentum-building 3-pointer from straight-away, giving them the lead (37-36), at the (14:00) mark. Carrying the load for Akron was Castañeda who kept the hot hand for his team and the lead. The points were hard to come by as the game was determined to be a defensive war, with the team committing the fewest turnovers, standing the best chance to win.

At the (11:00) minute mark Jules Bernard stepped up and buried a 3-ball closing the gap to (47-42), Akron. After a pair of successful free throws, the Zips moved the score to (49-42). But Bernard, sensing his shot coming back, answered with another 3-pointer, (49-45), Zips. After a TV-time-out, Juzang hit a medium base-line jumper, (49-47). Castañeda, answered with a jumper of his own, (51-47). Then Campbell joined the spree and sank his huge 3 pointer, (51-50), Akron. After a tide-turning foul on an illegal screen call against Freeman, his 5th at the (2:26) mark, the Bruins came back with another bucket by Campbell, making it (52-51), UCLA.

And down the stretchh they came. After a team time-out, Jaquez, Jr., who had a wide-open look from up top, and now in full assist mode, found Campbell all alone for a left-corner 3-pointer, (55-51) Bruins, with just (01:16) left. After a missed shot, Jaquez, Jr. literally stretched his entire body out to save a ball from going out of bounds, and Jaylen Clark recovered it. He was then fouled to stop the clock, but missed the front-end of his (1+1). Akron was down by 2 at this time (55-53).  Then, with just (00:25.2) left, Akron had a chance to tie but with heavy defensive pressure from Cody Riley on the drive by Ali Ali, he missed it with (00:04.3) seconds left. They would then foul Campbell who made his bonus shots for a very, very “Happy Birthday” victory, at (57-53). Akron took the last shot of the game as time ran out.

(FINAL SCORE): UCLA  57   Akron   53               (ATTENDANCE): 14,217

(Bruins Game-Stat Leaders): Tyger Campbell/16 pts/(3-6) 3 pointers/5 assists; Jaime Jaquez, Jr./15 pts/(8-9) free throws/6 assists/9 rebounds/2 steals/1 blk/1 save; Jules Bernard/10 points/(2-6) 3 pointers/1 assist/2 steals/1 bulk; Johnny Juzang/9 pts/2 assists/5 rebounds/3 steals/1 bulk; and Peyton Watson/5 pts./(1-1) 3 pointer.

(NEXT UP): #5 seed, St. Mary’s College of California, West Coast Conference/(WCC), 3/19 – Saturday, with Tip-off at 4:10 PM | Game will be Televised on TBS and can be heard on Radio 570 AM.