Villanova rallies late to beat UCLA 65-56 and end a 3-game losing streak
Tyler Burton scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Villanova beat UCLA 65-56 on Saturday night to snap a three-game losing streak.
Villanova hit four 3-pointers during a 17-4 run for a 58-49 lead with 2:13 remaining. Brendan Hausen hit consecutive 3s and Hakim Hart and Jordan Longino each had one. UCLA answered with five straight points from Lazar Stefanovic to get within 58-54 with 1:19 left.
With 45 seconds to play, Villanova was forced to call its final timeout with seven seconds left on the shot clock. Following the timeout, Longino's jumper was short but TJ Bamba was underneath for the putback and the Wildcats led 60-54 with 40 seconds left. Burton and Bamba combined for 5-of-6 shooting from the line to end it.
Burton was 3 of 12 from the floor and made 11 of 14 free throws. Hart finished with 10 points. Eric Dixon grabbed 10 rebounds to go with six points for Villanova (7-4).
Stefanovic scored 14 points and had nine rebounds to lead UCLA (5-3). Adem Bona added 11 points.
Both teams were coming off one-point games. Villanova lost at Kansas State and UCLA beat UC Riverside.
UCLA faces Ohio State in Atlanta on Saturday. Villanova is at 10th-ranked Creighton on Dec. 20.
