UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: Recapping Bruins' Road Loss to Illinois

Our latest episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast recaps the Bruins' tough road loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini on Tuesday night. The Bruins' seven-game win streak has been snapped as they continue to look for answers on the road this season.

Feb 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts after a play in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (18-7, 9-5) fell to the Illinois Fighting Illini (16-9, 9-6) by a score of 83-78 on the road Tuesday night, which snapped their seven-game win streak. Despite a strong second-half comeback, the Bruins fell short and were unable to outshoot a red-hot Illini team.

In this episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, UCLA Bruins on SI beat writer Tom Cavanaugh breaks down the Bruins' fifth conference loss of the season as they fall to the Illini on the road. The Bruins are now 0-4 against conference teams outside of the Pacific Time Zone.

You can watch the episode below:

The Bruins went down by 15 points in the first half but were able to claw back to a six-point deficit at the break. The second half was more of the same as the Illini led by 16 points with just under 5 minutes to play. UCLA cut their lead to just 2 but could not get over the hump and find the win.

Both teams shot the ball exceptionally well, but Illinois was just a bit better. The Bruins shot 48.3% from the field while making 12 3-pointers, many of them coming in the final minutes to make the comeback. The Illini shot an impressive 50.9% from the field with 11 triples to keep the lead all game.

The game was won and lost on the glass as Illinois out-rebounded the Bruins by 13, including 10 offensive rebounds that led to 10 second-chance points. Despite only turning the ball over eight times while forcing 14, UCLA was unable to match the Illini's physicality.

UCLA junior forward Tyler Bilodeau had a sensational night, scoring 25 points with a season-high seven made 3-pointers. It would not be enough to earn the road win as only a pair of other Bruins scored in double figures.

Senior guard Kobe Johnson struggled with foul trouble, committing four personals and missing a good chunk of the game throughout. He did score 14 points for his second-straight double-digit game as his offense continues to improve this season.

Off the bench, sophomore guard Sebastian Mack filled up the stat sheet with 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Despite a very strong effort, providing the energy all night for the Bruins, Mack and his group failed to keep pace for the entire contest.

UCLA will be back in action for the second game of its cross-country road trip when it takes on the Indiana Hoosiers (15-10, 6-8) Friday night. It will be a good opportunity to bounce back against a struggling team as the Bruins are still seeking their first road win against a traditional Big Ten team.

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