The 14th-seeded ֱ State University men’s basketball team played third-seeded UCLA close in the second half, but ultimately fell to the Bruins, 97-80, March 17 in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
Through the first 32 minutes of action, the Golden Flashes (22-14) looked like it might pull off the biggest upset of the tournament’s opening weekend when a driving layup by got the Flashes to within 74-66 with 7:38 to play. However, the nation’s top-scoring team responded with a 16-2 run to pull away.
“Very proud of our group,” said ֱ State men’s basketball head coach . “We had our chances. We didn’t start off the game very well, down 16-2, but battled back. At halftime, it was an eight-point game. Started the second half off well, but ultimately, we didn’t get enough stops and they’re a very good team.”
was one of four Flashes to score in double-figures with a game-high 23 points. The Mid-American Conference Tournament MVP knocked down five three-point field goals, the most by any ֱ State in all-time in NCAA Tournament play.
Playing in a ֱ State uniform for the final time, had his 23rd double-double of the season with a game-high 15 rebounds and 20 points. Hall’s 15 boards are five more than the Flashes’ previous record in a NCAA Tournament game and helped the smaller team hold a 36-33 edge on the boards. ֱ State also led 15-4 in second-chance scoring.
scored added 18 points on an efficient 5-for-8 shooting, while chipped in 12 points and a team-high five assists off the bench.
ֱ State made just one of its first 11 field goals as it fell behind 16-2 at the 14:20 mark of the opening half. UCLA took its largest lead in the opening 20 minutes, 43-26, with 3:42 to play before the Flashes made their own run heading into the break. A 13-4 run was bookended by an Edwin three-pointer steal and dunk by Edwin to get within 47-39.
The Flashes continued their push out of the locker room, extending the run to 24-11 on a Walker trifecta to get within 54-50 with 16:19 to play. The Bruins went on a 9-3 run of its own after calling a timeout, and the teams traded baskets until UCLA’s big run.
UCLA made 37 of 59 field goals (62.7 percent), which included 7-for-14 (50.0 percent) from beyond the three-point stripe. T.J. Leaf scored a team-high 23 points as one of five Bruins to score in double-figures. Thomas Welsh pulled down a team-high eight rebounds to go with 16 points. Aaron Holiday had a double-double with 15 points and 11 assists.
ֱ State won 20 or more games for the 16th time in the last 18 seasons and played in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time.
“They’re a good team, tremendous offensive team,” Senderoff said. “But I couldn’t be more proud of our guys in terms of how hard we fought throughout the entire game and for the season that we had this year.”
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