No 22 UCLA Stuns No 5 Arizona in Historic Season-Opening Upset
No. 22 UCLA upsets No. 5 Arizona 84-75, earning a rare season-opening victory over a ranked opponent.
In a historic season-opening upset, No. 22 UCLA defeated No. 5 Arizona 84-75 in a game that took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This marked just the third time in the AP poll era that UCLA began their season with a win over a ranked opponent. The Bruins established dominance early, leading 43-29 at halftime before Arizona mounted a second-half comeback effort.
Trent Perry led UCLA with 21 points and five assists, while Eric Dailey Jr. added 13 points and eight rebounds. Jaylen Petty contributed 13 points and seven assists in his Bruins debut. Despite falling behind by as many as 16 points, Arizona's Ivan Kharchenkov had a standout individual performance, scoring 38 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Derek Dixon contributed an additional 18 points. Arizona reduced UCLA's lead to 71-70 with just over three minutes left in the game, but Xavier Booker's crucial three-pointer later in the quarter allowed UCLA to maintain their four-point lead. Dailey secured the victory with a powerful dunk, putting the game beyond doubt. This victory came as a surprise for Arizona, who were coming off a national championship appearance the previous season.
For UCLA, the win provided an encouraging start to a season where they aim to reclaim their status among the nation's elite programs. UCLA improved to 7-1 in season openers under head coach Mick Cronin, solidifying their potential for the season.
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