Bruins’ upset at Rupp is a rarity

Thorough defeat ends 42-game home streak for Wildcats.

LEXINGTON, KY. — Isaac Hamilton scored 19 points, T.J. Leaf had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 11 UCLA shot 53 percent in beating Kentucky 97-92 Saturday, its second upset of the topranked Wildcats in as many years.

The Bruins (9-0) did it in their first visit to Rupp Arena — where the Wildcats (7-1) had won 42 straight.

“I don’t think there was anything about them today that was a feeling-out process,” said UCLA coach Steve Alford, whose team regained the lead for good late in the first half. “We talk about, ‘Don’t go in and jab around the ring to see if you belong. You’re 8-0. You’re playing well. Trust that you belong.’ That was the key thing that guys did from the tip.”

The Bruins, who rank third in the nation in scoring, matched their season average. Kentucky cut a 14-point second-half deficit to 95-92 on Derek Willis’ 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds remaining, but Bryce Alford’s two free throws with 7.4 left sealed the victory.

Besides hitting 35 of 66 from the field, UCLA outrebounded Kentucky 41-38 and limited the Wildcats to 41 percent shooting. It was the most points scored against a Kentucky team coached by John Calipari, who credited the Bruins for controlling the tempo against his talented freshmen.

“This is a lesson for us,” said Calipari, whose team had posted three consecutive 100-point efforts. “We didn’t have the energy. I had to call a timeout a minute into the game. I mean, just wasn’t the same team. There are great lessons out of this. I wish we would have come back and won . ... But sometimes you need to get hit on the chin, especially at home.”

Malik Monk had 24 points and De’Aaron Fox added 20 for Kentucky, which fell to 124-5 at Rupp under Calipari.