By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer
SAN FRANCISCO — This was not the kind of showing Mick Cronin wanted to see from his team with Big Ten play right around the corner.
Chris Bell had 22 points and six rebounds and was named Most Outstanding Player, Dai Dai Ames hit two late 3-pointers on the way to 14 points, and Cal handed Cronin’s 18th-ranked UCLA squad an 80-72 defeat on Tuesday night in the Empire Classic championship game at the Chase Center.
Trent Perry scored 19 points and Eric Dailey Jr. added 17 for UCLA (5-2), but the Bruins cost themselves by shooting just 13 for 23 at the free-throw line in a matchup of the longtime Pac-12 Conference opponents. Skyy Clark was held to seven points and limited because of foul trouble.
It was UCLA’s last game before its Big Ten opener at Washington on Dec. 3.
“They deserved to win, they came ready to play, we had some guys that did not – that’s on me,” Cronin told reporters after the loss. “It is what it is. Congratulations, they kicked our ass.
“Our team struggles to take a punch. We have a glass jaw, if you were to describe us as a fighter. … You can’t have a glass jaw. That’s scary right now. That’s got me nervous. Although we’re an older team, we lack a toughness right now. … We’re gonna toughen up or it’s gonna be a long year.”
Justin Pippen added 13 points with his former NBA star father Scottie in the stands as the Golden Bears (6-1) earned their first win against a Top 25 opponent since beating 21st-ranked Colorado, 76-62, at home in Haas Pavilion on Feb. 27, 2020.
“If I was watching the game I’d be a fan of [Cal’s] team,” Cronin said. “They had a great attitude. At this time in my life, it’s something I appreciate.
“Our team attitude was terrible – it’s been a problem for a month. It affects performance. You get in a ring against somebody that wants to fight, you give them confidence early, you’re in for a fight aside from the fact that we can’t make a free throw.”
Bell reached double figures for the sixth straight game with a third 20-point performance to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career. His baseline 3-pointer with 14:43 remaining put Cal ahead 49-46, then he converted a pair of free throws the next time down.
Perry’s three-point play with 1:59 left in the first half gave UCLA a 40-33 lead before Pippen answered with a 3-pointer from the top moments later.
UCLA outscored Cal 32-24 in the paint and outrebounded the Bears 41-35, but Cal shot 50% from 3-point range to outscore the Bruins by 12 points from behind the arc and had a four-point advantage at the free-throw line. Cal also turned 11 UCLA turnovers into 17 points.
Cronin said his team had only 20 deflections, perhaps a five-year low in a statistic he covets.
Adding to the frustration for the Bruins was the fact that point guard Donovan Dent went down with an apparent lower leg injury in the final minutes and limped off the court. Before exiting, the transfer from New Mexico had another poor outing, shooting 1 for 8 from the field for three points to go with seven assists and six turnovers.
“Until we get some leadership on our team at the guard position, it would help, and not panic with the ball,” Cronin told reporters after the loss. “Things don’t go well, we try to go one on five, get our shot blocked, get our fourth foul, we go one on five and get six, seven turnovers.”
“Look, I’m not happy with our performance, but I’ll take the blame. I’m not in here – you guys can read the stat sheet. You saw the game. You make your own assessments. When it comes to the game, how we play is my responsibility.”
NOTES
UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau, the team’s leading scorer, missed his second consecutive game with a knee sprain that could keep him out for another week. … Cal had lost 12 of the previous 13 meetings with the Bruins dating to January 2017.
UP NEXT
The Bruins have an extended break before playing their Big Ten opener at Washington on Dec. 3, beginning a December schedule that features six West Coast opponents.