LOS ANGELES — Results have become clock work, predictable for the UCLA men’s basketball team. The Bruins thrive in the Pacific time zone and inside Pauley Pavilion, and often struggle immensely outside of that comfort. Since joining the Big Ten before the 2024-25 season, UCLA is 29-7 in the Paci fic time zone, 31-3 at home and 4-14 playing elsewhere. That trend continued Tuesday night as UCLA handled No. 9 Nebraska, 72-52, earning a Quad 1 victory that should propel the Bruins (20-10 overall, 12-7 Big Ten) off the NCAA Tournament bubble. Not only did the win help ensure safety from potential bid-stealers, but it showed UCLA can compete with high-seeded opponents, and therefore, is capable of a March Madness run, apart from the factor that wouldn’t come at Westwood. UCLA wouldn’t have the crowd pop that followed Eric Dailey Jr.’s thunderous second-half dunk, or the raucous cheers as Nebraska’s Sam Hoiberg missed a pair of free throws, ensuring free Fat Sal’s for the students. The Bruins won’t be in the gym where sophomore Trent Perry led the team with 20 points, one game after going scoreless at Minnesota. They won’t be playing on the court where they scored 1.2 points per possession and held Nebraska to .88. After sleeping in their own beds and basking in the 70-degree weather in winter, the Bruins dominated the Cornhuskers (25-5, 14-5). They, uncharacteristically, controlled the boards, scoring seven second-chance points to build an early 12-point lead. Eric Freeny continued his recent development. First there was a learning moment, as the redshirt freshman fouled Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort, whose four-point play brought the Cornhuskers back within seven. But then Freeny corralled an offensive rebound and found Perry for a 15-footer. And on the next possession, he picked Hoiberg’s pocket before drawing a foul on the other side. A transition layup from Dailey and a 3-pointer from Perry gave UCLA a 15-point advantage toward the end of the first half. Perry stuck a 3-pointer with Jamarques Lawrence’s face, hit another from the right corner and connected with Dailey for that thunderous dunk. After a Nebraska surge cut the margin back to 10, Skyy Clark found Tyler Bilodeau for a right-wing 3-pointer and Freeny finished a layup after fighting for an offensive rebound. The crowd applauded Freeny’s effort, chanting his name after the play. Clark stepped-back for a 3-pointer, extending the lead to 21, sending the fans to the exits, and home happy after UCLA put on a show. It’s a spectacle they’re used to given UCLA’s recent dominance at home. But it’s one they can’t bank on when the Bruins leave town. That’s a problem for the upcoming games in the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. NOTES The Bruins are a half-game behind Purdue and Wisconsin for fifth place in the Big Ten. … The loss knocked the Cornhuskers out of a second-place tie with idle Michigan State. More to come on this story. Related Articles UCLA’s Tyler Bilodeau lets his game do the talking Alexander: Is Charlisse Leger-Walker UCLA’s not-so-secret weapon? No. 2 UCLA women beat USC to polish off undefeated Big Ten season UCLA men lose at Minnesota despite Tyler Bilodeau’s 32 points USC women ready for No. 2 UCLA rematch: ‘We’re not the same team’ ...read more read less