No. 15 UCLA can't stop Jaden Bradley late, falling to No. 5 Arizona for first loss

Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times on Nov 15, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — A game of big runs, momentum shifts and high emotions needed a resolution in the renewal of an old rivalry.

It found one in the hands of a player who has been around since UCLA and Arizona were Pac-12 rivals, his late brilliance reviving a chant hated by the Bruins.

"U of A! U of A!"

The Wildcats made themselves at home inside the Intuit Dome over the final minutes Friday night thanks to the play of veteran guard Jaden Bradley.

With two driving layups and a three-pointer, Bradley scored seven consecutive points late to lift the No. 5 Wildcats to a 69-65 victory over the No. 15 Bruins.

There will be plenty of regrets for UCLA after it lost an eight-point lead over the final seven minutes as Arizona got hot and made its final four shots.

Tyler Bilodeau's 19 points on seven-for-10 shooting weren't enough to keep the Bruins (3-1) from suffering their first loss of the season during a somewhat sloppy showing in which they committed 12 of their 16 turnovers in the first half.

Bradley finished with 15 points and teammate Anthony Dell'Orso had a game-high 20, including a three-pointer that gave the Wildcats (4-0) the lead with 2:51 left.

Things had looked so promising for the Bruins only a few minutes earlier.

Trent Perry and Bilodeau showed unselfishness by taking charges in a quick second-half sequence that sent Arizona's Koa Peat (seven points) to the bench with his fourth foul.

Bruins fans were rocking the place with a little more than seven minutes left after Bilodeau rose for a three-pointer that pushed his team into a 57-49 lead. But a bad possession that ended with an Eric Dailey Jr. turnover helped fuel the Wildcats' comeback.

UCLA's Donovan Dent (11 points, eight assists) had a jumper blocked shortly before halftime, a fitting development for a game tilting in Arizona's favor after a first half of big runs ended with the Wildcats holding a 28-25 lead.

Things had been far more promising for the Bruins early. They resembled the locked-in team that had looked so impressive in exhibition victories over San Diego State and UC Irvine before falling considerably flatter to start the regular season with three uninspired showings.

Bilodeau was especially active in the early going, swatting a shot, scoring on a backdoor layup and drawing a foul on a hanging jumper as the Bruins surged into a 15-5 lead. But the Wildcats countered with 10-0 and 7-0 runs on the way to retaking the lead.

There was a curious duality to the play of UCLA center Xavier Booker. He made two three-pointers and grabbed five rebounds but also endured a sloppy stretch in which he committed three turnovers in quick succession to fuel an Arizona push.

Turnovers were an unfortunate trend for the Bruins, who had 12 by the game's midpoint — six combined by Booker and fellow center Steven Jamerson II and three by Dent.

Things took a sentimental turn at halftime as UCLA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jamaal Wilkes spoke as a tribute to the late Bill Walton, Abdul-Jabbar sharing a story about receiving some pottery that Walton signed.

UCLA fans were salty before tipoff, a group of students behind one basket chanting an expletive directed at rival USC as the Trojans polished off a 20-point victory over Illinois State.

Those students' mood momentarily brightened when they were given tie-dye T-shirts as a tribute to the late Bill Walton, who was honored in a pregame video. Then the students directed their same nasty chant at Arizona after the public-address announcer recognized the Wildcats.

Arizona fans soon got their revenge, a hearty "U of A!" chant filling the arena.

It would be heard again before the evening ended.