LOS ANGELES – UC Riverside gave UCLA all it could handle on Thursday night, falling 66-65 to the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• UCR matched UCLA stride for stride for the game's first eight minutes, outshooting UCLA 44% to 33% early with a pair of threes from Kyle Owens. The Montana transfer went on to sink three more triples for the night, all in the first half.  
• The Highlanders emerged from the under-12 media timeout with a three from Isaiah Moses. Moses picked up UC Riverside's first points off turnovers after Jhaylon Martinez corralled his own offensive rebound.  
• Vladimer Salaridze came up with a steal at 15:21 of the second half before Moses drained his third three of the night to bring the Highlanders within four. Moses converted the layup off of a Bruin turnover to make it a one possession game and gave UCR the lead with his fourth triple.  
• Moses' offensive spurt brought on an 8-0 Highlander run that gave UCR a 43-42 lead at the under-16 media break.  
• Barrington Hargress was the third Highlander to convert a triple, connecting at 7:24 to bring UCR to within six of the Bruins. Threes fell from Salaridze and Nate Pickens soon after, pulling the Highlanders firmly back into the mix. UC Riverside was 4 of 5 from the field to pull within three after starting the second half just 4 for 17. 
• Moses tied the ballgame at 63 with a triple at 1:28 - the Highlanders' 14th three of the night and Moses' fifth – before Pickens' free throws gave UCR a 65-63 lead.  

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS 

• Owens set a career high in the first half alone with five made threes, accounting for 18 of UCR's 32 points at the break. The Highlanders outshot UCLA 50% to 42% in the first half and Isaiah Moses racked up his second 20-point performance of the season.  
• UC Riverside's hot start on Thursday came in part from the defensive end of the floor, holding UCLA to 1-of-7 shooting off the opening tip.  
• The Highlanders made 10 threes for the fourth time this season while playing its third game against a Pac-12 team under Mike Magpayo that was decided by nine points or less.  

UP NEXT 

• UC Riverside returns to the SRC Arena on Sunday, December 3 to host North Dakota on ESPN+. TIpoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.