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Bruins suffer a tough upset loss at Nevada

The No. 22 UCLA Bruins leave Nevada with their first loss of the season. A surprising 72-64 loss to New Mexico brought with it a multitude of mistakes and improvements that needed to be made for Mick Cronin's team.

The Bruins fell to the floor early and were unable to recover from the Lobos' impressive sharpshooting performance. Shooting 51% from the field and 40% from three-point range, the Lobos couldn't have shot better as they improved to 2-0.

Regardless of the Lobos' shot, 64 total points isn't enough to win many ballgames. The Bruins turned the ball over 21 times, leading to 21 points off turnovers. Junior guard Dylan Andrews led the team with six turnovers.

The only Bruin to score in double figures was junior transfer forward Tyler Bilodeau. He set a season-high in two categories, scoring 23 points on 8 of 20 shooting and grabbing 15 rebounds. It is the first double-double for Bilodeau in a Bruins jersey.

The next highest scorer was freshman Trent Perry, who finished with 8 points. Guards Skyy Clark and Kobe Johnson would also add 7 each.

One of the biggest problems for the Bruins was their rebounding ability. The Lobos collected six more rebounds while senior center Nelly Junior Joseph knocked down eight boards, including four on the offensive glass. He scored 16 points, six of which came from the free throw line.

The Lobos' leading scorer was junior guard Donovan Dent, who finished the game with 17 points and eight assists. Although he had eight turnovers, the Bruins couldn't stop him from getting to the rim and finishing. Almost all of his shots hit on or around the basket.

As the season progresses, the Bruins will need to find support from several other players in addition to Bilodeau. For Cronin, this is one of the deepest teams in recent years and he has the talent to be a multiple goalscorer in big games. If they are able to play free basketball, this team will look very different.

The good thing for the Bruins is that they are able to identify areas of improvement early in the year and work throughout the month of November to correct key issues to prepare for Big Ten play be. It's much better to experience setbacks earlier in the year than late when it matters most.

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