Spokesman-Review
National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Oregon 89, UCLA 87
When: 9:00 PM ET, Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Where: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Oregon
Officials: # Verne Harris, # Steve Olsen, # Mike Reed
Attendance: 12364

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon trailed by just one point, but Dillon Brooks liked the look of a 3-pointer.

The Oregon junior forward pulled up and buried a 3 with 0.8 seconds remaining to lift No. 21 Oregon to an 89-87 win over second-ranked UCLA Wednesday night in front of a sellout crowd at Matthew Knight Arena.

"I had been shooting it bad, but I always say to myself to keep shooting like it is your first shot," Brooks said. "It felt good coming off and I heard the crowd go wild before the shot. All my teammates thought it was going in, for sure, so that felt good."

Oregon expected to need a 3-pointer to tie when UCLA led 87-86 with Bryce Alford stepping to the free-throw line with 8.9 seconds remaining, but the senior guard missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity. Brooks got the ball with an option to drive for the win, but instead he pulled up from 22 feet away.

"We executed a play we run in practice and Dillon hit it," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "He felt like he had the shot and he was right. Who am I to argue?"

Brooks scored 23 points as Oregon (12-2) opened Pac-12 Conference play with a victory. Freshman guard Payton Pritchard added 15 points and nine assists for the Ducks, who won their 10th straight game to extend their home-court winning streak to 34.

Forward Jordan Bell added 13 points and seven rebounds for Oregon, Tyler Dorsey added 11 and Dylan Ennis 10.

Alford and center Thomas Welsh had 20 points apiece to lead UCLA, which suffered its first loss of the season after opening with 13 wins.

"As a group, we think we are right there as a top team, too, with UCLA," Pritchard said. "We prepared three days for this. We prepared to come in and get the win."

Guard Lonzo Ball added 14 points and forward TJ Leaf had 13 for UCLA, which shot 53.1 percent from the field and 44 percent on 3-pointers.

"I thought all the guys did everything they could," UCLA coach Steve Alford said. "I love the fight. This is not an easy place to play and this is a team that was picked to win the Pac-12. It would have been nice to get it, but we didn't and now we have to bounce back."

UCLA led 82-74 when Welsh hit back-to-back jumpers, but Oregon closed the game on a 15-5 run.

Center Chris Boucher started Oregon's comeback with a 3-pointer with 3:16 left, and Brooks followed with a rebound basket. Leaf made a free throw before Pritchard scored to get Oregon within 83-81 with 1:26 left.

Welsh hit a jumper, but Ennis answered with two free throws for Oregon. After Ball scored to push UCLA's lead to 87-83 with 22 seconds left, Pritchard made a 3-pointer with 12.5 seconds remaining to get Oregon within 87-86.

Alford, an 87 percent free-throw shooter, missed a free throw, and Brooks, who missed the start of the season after offseason foot surgery, set off a celebration for the home crowd.

"Watching Dillon hit that last shot, when you work as hard as he does, great things happen like that," Pritchard said. "I am thankful to be part of a team like this."

Leaf scored the final three points of the first half as UCLA cut the deficit to 52-47 at the break.

Alford and Leaf hit 3-pointers to put the Bruins ahead 53-52 early in the second half. Brooks and Bell each scored for Oregon before Welsh cut the deficit to 56-55.

Bell followed with a 3-pointer and Dorsey made two free throws for Oregon. Brooks scored to put Oregon up 63-57 and Bell added two free throws to stretch the lead to 65-57 before forward Ike Anigbogu and Alford scored to cut the deficit to 65-61.

Ball followed with three straight 3-pointers to put UCLA ahead 70-65 before center Gyorgy Goloman pushed the lead to 72-65. Alford added a pair of 3-pointers to push UCLA's lead to 78-70 before Bell scored with 4:40 left.

NOTES: UCLA was the highest-ranked opponent to face Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena, which opened in 2011. That distinction was previously held by No. 3 Arizona, which lost 64-57 in March 2014. ... The contest marked the earliest conference game between Pac-12 foes since December 1952. ... Oregon senior C Chris Boucher missed the previous two games with a sprained ankle. ... UCLA junior C Thomas Welsh missed the previous four games because of a bruised knee.
Top Game Performances
 
UCLA   Oregon
Bryce Alford 20 Scoring Dillon Brooks 23
Aaron Holiday 7 Assists Payton Pritchard 9
Thomas Welsh 10 Rebounds Dillon Brooks 9
Thomas Welsh 4 Free Throws Made Chris Boucher 4
Ike Anigbogu 1 Steals Dillon Brooks 2
Thomas Welsh 3 Blocks Jordan Bell 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
UCLA 87 53.1 11-25 8-12 19 34 6 3 14
Oregon 89 44.8 11-30 18-25 19 32 1 6 9