First Four: Saint Bonaventure tops UCLA for first NCAA win since 1970

Courtney Stockard and St. Bonaventure enjoyed their second trip to UD Arena this season much more than their first, a 10-point loss to Dayton.

In the second First Four game Tuesday night, the Bonnies defeated UCLA 65-58 in a battle of No. 11 seeds for their first NCAA Tournament victory since their Final Four run in 1970.

Stockard, a junior college transfer in his first season with the Bonnies, scored 26 points with two 3-pointers on 9-of-20 shooting. He scored nine points against Dayton.

St. Bonaventure (26-7) will play East Region No. 6 Florida at 9:57 p.m. Thursday in Dallas.

Jaylen Adams, the Bonnies’ leading scorer this season, suffered through a bad shooting night. But when his team needed him late he came through. He pulled up at the foul line for a jumper and scored with a defender’s hand in his face to break a 58-58 tie with 49 seconds left. He then made three free throws to seal the win and finish with eight points.

UCLA (21-12) led 51-46 with eight minutes to play, but the Bonnies scored nine straight, five of them by Stockard, to go up 58-51. The Bruins scored the next seven points to tie the score with 1:11 left, but they didn’t score again.

Aaron Holiday led the Bruins with 20 points and Prince Ali added 13.

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