Maroons tame Bulldogs for 3-0 start

MANILA, Philippines – The UP Fighting Maroons are the only team flawless in the men’s basketball tourney of UAAP Season 86 after drubbing the NU Bulldogs, 78-60, Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. 

UP dealt the Bulldogs its first loss in the tournament as they overcame an early nine-point lead. 

After the slow start, the Fighting Maroons ramped up their performance in the middle quarters as they led by double digits. 

But the Bulldogs threatened, trimming the lead to just six, 54-60, with 7:39 remaining in the game. 

The Maroons retaliated with an 8-1 run, which was broken when Mike Malonzo scored on a putback. 

CJ Cansino hit a booming corner 3-pointer with 4:09 remaining in the game to stretch UP’s lead to 14, 71-57.

The Bulldogs could not cut the lead further as UP breezed through. 

Rookie Francis Lopez had the best game of his young collegiate career, scoring 14 points, hauling down seven rebounds and dishing out four assists for UP.

Malick Diouf, as usual, posted another double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. 

Jake Figueroa, meanwhile, paced the Bulldogs with 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

The Maroons limited the Bulldogs to NU to just 36.7% shooting from the field compared to their 45.9%. They also allowed just one 3-pointer for NU. 

UP is now 3-0 in the tournament, while NU holds a 2-1 slate.