Belmont upsets UCLA with late run

Belmont rallied late to beat UCLA 74-72 at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

Senior Kevin McClain made a layup with 2.3 seconds left to play to give Belmont a 73-72 lead.

After a UCLA turnover, freshman Caleb Hollander made a free throw with less than a second remaining for Belmont to provide the final advantage.

"It's just one of those games, because UCLA's program stands for so much, that when you win, it's so meaningful in so many ways," Belmont coach Rick Byrd said. "It's a great thing for our kids to have an experience that they won't ever forget."

The win, which came before a crowd of 8,037, improved Belmont's record to 8-1 and continued its best start in its NCAA Division I history. 

McClain, who finished with a team-high 20 points, made a layup with 1:24 left to put Belmont up 71-69.

UCLA answered with a 3-pointer by Cody Riley to retake the lead (72-71) with 32 seconds to go.

With the clock winding down and Belmont in possession, freshman Grayson Murphy, from Thompson Station, gave a nice feed to McClain, who drove the lane for the go-ahead layup.

"We just wanted to stay poised after they took the lead and make that play and it ended up working out," said McClain, who also had six rebounds and six assists.

Belmont's Dylan Windler, an All-American candidate, posted a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds before fouling out with 1:13 left to play. 

Belmont held UCLA to two field goals in the final 8:14. 

"We did get some set plays that got it done," Byrd said. "I thought what really got it done, was our defense in the second half."

UCLA was 8-of-23 on field goals (34.8 percent) in the second half after going 18-of-38 (47.4 percent) in the first half.  

Kris Wilkes led UCLA with 20 points, but scored only one point in the second half and was 0-of-5 from the field. 

Belmont trailed most of the game

UCLA took double-figure leads on two occasions; going up by as much as 29-17 midway into the first half and 57-45 early in the second.

Belmont did not take its first lead since being up 5-2 until late by going on a 9-2 run, which ended with a 3-pointer by Murphy that gave Belmont its first lead at 67-66 with 2:45 left.

A dunk by Nick Muszynski 50 seconds later put Belmont up 69-67.

UCLA free throws were terrible

UCLA got to the free throw line way more often, but failed to take advantage.

The Bruins made just 12-of-28 at the line (42.9 percent).

On the season, UCLA is 128-of-201 (63.7 percent) on free throws.

Belmont, meanwhile, was 9-of-14 (64.3 percent) in the game. 

"Certainly, they're going to talk about their free throw shooting because it was everything," Byrd said. "Heck, we gave them all kinds of rebounds on their misses and they still didn't make us pay."

Add UCLA to the list

Byrd has never been shy about scheduling formidable opponents.

And Saturday's victory was the latest in a string of notable high-major wins for Belmont.

The program's other big victories have come against North Carolina, Marquette, Alabama, Cincinnati, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Butler.

“As a program, we have done this enough to expect to be able to do this," Byrd said. "Doesn’t mean you can do it, but you play with that mindset and expectation level.”

Time off

It was Belmont's first game in 11 days. Belmont beat Lipscomb 76-74 on Dec. 4.

UCLA had been off since beating Notre Dame 65-62 on Dec. 8.

Both teams had taken time off for final exams.

Up next

Belmont returns home Wednesday to play Western Kentucky (6:30 p.m.) before taking another 10-day break.

 UCLA plays at Cincinnati on Wednesday (8 p.m.).  

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.