A sizable favorite prior to the game starting, Mick Cronin's young team gave No. 4-ranked Marquette all it could handle in the Golden Eagles' 71-69 victory in the opening game of the still-ongoing 2023 Maui Invitational.
UCLA came out quite aggressive on both ends of the floor. Freshman Sebastian Mack set the tone from the jump. The slithery guard out of Chicago lived in the paint -- and was a real problem for Marquette all game long. He finished with 25 points (including a 13-13 mark from the free throw line).
Starting point guard Dylan Andrews left the game in the second half with what was reported as cramps. This coincided with a massive 17-0 run for Marquette. Had Andrews not missed that chunk of the game, we could've seen a different outcome for the Bruins.
In the postgame presser, Marquette head coach Shaka Smart offered one very positive comment on this young UCLA team (via LA Times reporter Ben Bolch):
While no one on the high D1 level will find a 'moral victory' acceptable, this was a very good result for the Bruins.
With a very inexperienced roster, it proved it could hang with the reigning Big East champions. Marquette returned eight of its top nine guys from a season ago. Additionally, this is a team with National Title aspirations.
For this UCLA team to control large portions of the game -- and arguably lose it via self-inflicted wounds -- it's a very promising sign moving forward.
UCLA gets another chance to earn a big-time victory on Wednesday as the Bruins tip-off versus old rival Gonzaga. A victory here would be a nice feather in the cap as it pertains to a postseason resume.
As this team continues to grow in both confidence and maturity, you're looking at a group with a sizable ceiling months from now. This group is only scratching the surface as to what it could ultimately be down the line.
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