LOS ANGELES — With his nose fully healed, Eric Dailey Jr. was able to shed his protective mask last week.

On Tuesday, he traded it for a cape, as he saved the UCLA men’s basketball team with a game-winning floater.

Dailey had been averaging 15 points over the last five games, but he was uncharacteristically hesitant and cold. Bruins coach Mick Cronin still called his number on the final possession and he answered.

With 24 seconds left and the score tied at 61, Skyy Clark dribbled the air out of the ball before passing it to Dailey, who drove and converted a go-ahead floater. Michigan State guard Jaden Akins missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer and UCLA escaped with a 63-61 victory.

Over its recent winning streak, UCLA’s offense had sprung to life, scoring 78 points or more four times. On Tuesday, points became a premium as the Bruins seemingly grinded for open looks time and again.

The Bruins (17-6 overall, 8-4 Big Ten) extended their win streak to six as they handed the Spartans (18-4, 9-2) their second consecutive loss. Clark led the Bruins with 14 points, while Dailey finished with nine points, his struggles seemingly exemplifying UCLA’s larger offensive issues.

Throughout much of the season, Clark has played the role of a consummate point guard. He controls UCLA’s pace, defends each opponent’s best guard and identifies and finds teammates for open shots. Throughout Tuesday’s first half, he was hunting them.

He was fouled on his first 3-point attempt and hit all three free throws. He dribbled into two more in the first half, a pull-up from the right wing and a step back on the left side. His willingness to look for his own shot opened up passing lanes. He hit Lazar Stefanovic for a corner 3 that gave UCLA a 25-24 lead. Two possessions later, he drove into the paint and acted as if he was going for a layup, but instead threw a lob to Mara.

Clark’s second 3-pointer gave UCLA an eight-point advantage, its largest of the first half, with 1:18 left.

UCLA had deployed a man-to-man press on many occasions, but on Tuesday, it fluctuated between a 2-2-1 and 2-1-2 look. The Bruins press didn’t lead directly to many turnovers, but it sped up the Spartans’ offense and disrupted their sets.

In fact, it was their ball-screen defense that was especially effective. UCLA’s big men hedged and jumped ball-handlers, eliminating pocket passes and allowing the guards to recover. The wings oscillated from providing help to anticipating swing passes. The Bruins were plus-13 in the turnover margin and scored 19 points off 16 turnovers.

The Bruins stretched their lead into the double digits after six straight points from Tyler Bilodeau and a 3 from Dylan Andrews. The Spartans answered with a slew of drives that drew contact and earned them trips to the line. With the margin cut down to 48-42, Sebastian Mack drove and hung in the air for an and-1 layup.

After a hot start to the second half, Michigan State’s defense locked in and UCLA struggled. With the Spartans getting stops, the Bruins couldn’t set their defense and openings began to form. The Spartans tied the game at 54 after five straight points from Jaden Akins and a pair of free throws from Carson Cooper.