UAAP: UP continues to be a thorn on NU's side in Season 88 with rebound win

The UP Fighting Maroons secured a 78-74 victory over the NU Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball play, completing a sweep of their meetings this season and marking their fourth win in recent encounters. This result reinforces UP's dominance over NU, as they remain the only team to have defeated the league-leading Bulldogs so far in the competition.

The match, held on Wednesday, October 12, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, saw UP build an 18-point lead that was nearly overturned when NU's Jake Figueroa narrowed the gap to 57-55 early in the fourth quarter. However, UP responded with an 8-2 run, highlighted by Harold Alarcon's steady play, to extend their lead to 65-57 with 5:45 remaining, ultimately maintaining control to seal the win.

Harold Alarcon led UP with a team-high 24 points off the bench, supported by Rey Remogat and Reyland Torres, who combined for 21 points. Despite Jake Figueroa's 18-point effort for NU, they could not complete the comeback, dropping to a 6-2 record but retaining the top spot in the standings, while UP improved to 5-3 and moved into solo third place.

Looking ahead, UP aims for consecutive wins in their next game against FEU on Sunday, October 26, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, while NU seeks to rebound quickly as they face a struggling Ateneo team.