UCLA survived a spirited challenge from UCF to win 75-71 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night. Eric Dailey Jr scored 20 points, while Xaiver Booker added 15 points and eight rebounds to compensate for the absence of leading scorer Tyler Biloudeau. The seventh-seeded Bruins (24-11) will face second-seeded UConn on Sunday.
UCF guard Jordan Burks scored 22 points and hit six three-pointers, including one that cut the deficit to 72-69 with 10 seconds left, but the Knights (21-12) could not complete the comeback. UCLA guard Skyy Clark played with a broken tooth.
In other action, second-seeded Iowa State cruised to a 108-74 win over 15th-seeded Tennessee State, but lost forward Joshua Jefferson to a sprained left ankle. X-rays were negative, and Jefferson watched the second half in a boot. His status for Sunday's game against seventh-seeded Kentucky is uncertain.
Kentucky advanced with an 89-84 overtime victory over 10th-seeded Santa Clara. The Wildcats forced overtime when Otega Oweh banked in a three-pointer with 2.4 seconds left in regulation, after Santa Clara's Allen Graves had hit a go-ahead three with 2.4 seconds remaining. Kentucky scored eight straight points in overtime to seal the win.
