UCLA beats No. 9 Nebraska, cruising 72-52 to snap the Cornhuskers’ 3-game streak

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UCLA guard Trent Perry (0) gestures during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Nebraska, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg (1) drives the ball past UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang) — UCLA guard Trent Perry (0) gestures during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Nebraska, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)

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10:26 PM on Tuesday, March 3

By BETH HARRIS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trent Perry scored 20 points and UCLA led all the way in ending No. 9 Nebraska's three-game winning streak with a 72-52 victory on Tuesday night.

The Bruins (20-10, 12-7 Big Ten) notched 20 wins for the seventh time in 10 years and closed their home schedule with a 17-1 mark at Pauley Pavilion, where they also beat ranked Purdue and Illinois.

Sophomore Perry and junior Eric Dailey Jr. upstaged Tyler Bilodeau, Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark on Senior Night.

Dailey finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. Bilodeau, UCLA's leading scorer at 17.9 points, was held to eight. Dent had four points and eight assists after averaging 15.7 points and 12.7 assists in his last three games. Clark had eight points while in foul trouble along with Dent.

The loss knocked the Cornhuskers (25-5, 14-5) out of a second-place tie with idle Michigan State in the Big Ten. They were led by Sam Hoiberg with 12 points. Rienk Mast and Cale Jacobsen had 11 points each.

Nebraska came in averaging 11.2 3-pointers, with Hoiberg and Pryce Sandfort hitting 42% from long range. But the Bruins' defense held the Huskers to 5 of 24, while UCLA made 10 from long range.

The Bruins led 37-24 at halftime after Perry’s 3-pointer capped an 8-0 run.

Up next

Nebraska: Hosts Iowa on Sunday to close regular season.

UCLA: Visits crosstown rival USC on Saturday to end regular season.

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