UCLA Men's Basketball Powers Through Injury for Blowout Season-Opening Victory

The Bruins tipped off their season with a runaway victory on their home court, but they still suffered a loss amid the blowout.

No. 2 UCLA men's basketball (1-0) strung together a wire-to-wire 95-58 win over Cal State Bakersfield (0-1) to open the season Tuesday night. Five different Bruins scored in double figures, including four of the starters.

The one who didn't was forward Cody Riley.

Riley left the game midway through the first half with a left knee injury, shouting out in pain as an opposing player fell into his legs going for a loose ball. Riley was later ruled out for the remainder of the game, as confirmed by a UCLA Athletics spokesperson.

The Bruins led 13-9 when Riley left the floor, hobbling back behind the bench to get some extra medical attention from team trainers.

That's when UCLA exploded, ending the opening half on a 34 run to go into the locker room up 47-19 at the break.

With Riley out and center Myles Johnson in foul trouble, guard Jaylen Clark ended up leading the team in rebounds with seven. Clark missed the Bruins' preseason exhibition against Chico State on Thursday and was 

UCLA won the rebounding battle 44-35, but it was the team's torrid scoring in every offensive aspect that gave them the necessary boost Thursday night.

Free throws? The Bruins hit 20 compared to the Roadrunners' 3.

3-pointers? Led by Jules Bernard's four triples, UCLA outshot CSU Bakersfield 13 to 7 from deep.

Points off turnovers, second-chance points, bench points and so on and so forth – the Bruins had the Roadrunners beat across the board.