Andrews Delivers, Mara Dominates in Bruins' Gritty Win

The junior credited his confidence in those moments to hours in the gym and support from teammates and coaches.

“Being in the gym, late nights,” Andrews said. “My teammates and Coach [Mick Cronin] talking to me, just letting me know, ‘Next shot. Don’t worry about the last one that you missed. Next play.’ I give credit to them for keeping me confident.” 

Andrews also highlighted the team’s defensive mindset as the cornerstone of their recent success.

“Team chemistry, bonding, and trusting one another, especially on the defensive end,” Andrews said. “We’re trying to stay away from worrying about offense too much. We’re worried about getting stops, and offense is going to come regardless.”

Mara played a career-high 30 minutes, delivering crucial buckets down the stretch to help the Bruins fend off Washington’s late rally. His poise in the paint impressed not only his teammates but also himself.

“I’m surprised that I didn’t get tired, but I was feeling good,” Mara said. “I knew that Tyler [Bilodeau] wasn’t going to be able to play because he was injured, so I tried to not make stupid fouls and get into my rhythm.”

Mara’s low-post dominance came through in the final minutes, where he scored two critical baskets to extend UCLA’s lead.

“Kobe went to the rim, and they touched the ball, so I just tried to catch it, turn, and iso,” Mara said. “The first one went in, and I am happy for that. On the second one, I read the defense and turned and shot.” 

Both Andrews and Mara emphasized the importance of securing road victories in a conference as competitive as the Big Ten.

“It’s always good to come out on the road and get a 'W,' especially playing a team like Washington, where the crowd gets really loud and real hectic,” Andrews said. “It feels good that we came out on top and we get to go back home to LA and get ready for USC.”

Mara echoed that sentiment, pointing to the Bruins’ improvement in ball security during the second half.

“We knew that it was going to be a tough game because they play with physicality. We tried to not lose the ball, and that’s one of the keys for games on the road,” Mara said. “We didn’t do it well in the first half, but we did it well in the second one.”

Both Mara and Andrews have shown their ability to thrive under pressure, and their growth will be key as the Bruins continue navigating a grueling schedule. For now, this victory showcased not just UCLA’s talent but its collective grit, anchored by Andrews’ composure and Mara’s dominance in the post.