Donovan Dent Explodes in UCLA's Exhibition Game

New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent already made his presence felt in Westwood, with an impressive performance in the Bruins' exhibition game against UC Irvine.

Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent (2) plays the ball in the second half against the Marquette Golden Eagles during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

UCLA Men's Hoops held their second exhibition game ahead of the 2025-2026 season against UC Irvine on October 28. The Bruins won handily, defeating the Anteaters 94-64, and while almost everyone on UCLA's roster had a good outing, none were as impressive as Donovan Dent.

Dent transferred from New Mexico to UCLA in March, and head coach Mick Cronin was hoping that he'd be a star for the Bruins this season. That hope quickly became a reality as Dent went off against in the exhibition game.

In the first half of the game alone, Dent posted 16 points and eight assists. He was impressive as both a scorer and a playmaker. He also showed off his ability to get to the free-throw line, scoring six points from the charity stripe.

16 PTS
8 REB
1 TO

Donovan Dent's huge first half carried @UCLAMBB in Tuesday night's exhibition win 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Je5NL6akyd

— UCLA on BTN (@UCLAOnBTN) October 30, 2025

After the exhibition, Cronin explained that there was no point in playing Dent in the second half of the game, and the only reason he played the entire first half was because two other Bruins were in foul trouble. 

• "It was no use playing Donny [Dent] in the second half," Cronin said. "I had to play him the whole first half because the other two guys kept fouling. He got enough out of tonight."

Mar 19, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA head coach Mick Cronin speaks with media during NCAA Tournament First Round Practice at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

In his 2024-2025 campaign with New Mexico, Dent averaged 20.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, while shooting 49% from the field. Those numbers were a big reason why he was a five-star and 247Sports' No. 4-ranked player in the transfer portal. 

Dent was the Bruins' highest-rated transfer addition, and based on his performance against UC Irvine, UCLA fans can expect him to contribute in a big way all season long. The hype around Dent is noticeable across the country, with the 6'2" point guard being named to the preseason watch list for the Bob Cousy Award.

Mar 23, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent (2) dribbles in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Bruins have the roster to make a run at the national title this season, and with Dent leading the way at point guard, it appears that UCLA is in a strong position to do so. Dent and the rest of the Bruins officially kick off the 2025-2026 season on Monday, November 3, against Eastern Washington.

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