LEXINGTON, Ky. — One thing above all others was apparent in UCLA’s triumphant return to the NCAA tournament here Thursday night: Good things happen for the Bruins when Aday Mara is in the game.

The 7-foot-3 sophomore from Zaragoza, Spain, had his fingerprints all over the Bruins’ 72-47 first round victory over Utah State, even after a scare early in the second half when he went limping to the bench to have his left ankle re-taped.

Ordinarily, the plus-minus statistic can be deceptive in basketball. But this one had some significance: Mara was a plus-21 against the Aggies, with the Bruins outscoring Utah State 31-10 when he was on the floor. And this was a game that turned in the first half on his actions, some little, some big.

Mara didn’t start. He seldom does, and coach Mick Cronin has noted that Mara is still building up strength and stamina. But Cronin isn’t afraid to bring him in early, and he did so Thursday night, just 3½ minutes in. He wound up playing 20 minutes, with 10 points (on 4 for 5 shooting, all in the first half), six rebounds, two assists and five blocks.

The Bruins play No. 2 seed Tennessee in Saturday’s second round. Expect the big guy to have an impact.

UCLA had a 39-27 lead at halftime, thanks to a 12-0 run, part of a 16-5 outburst in the final 7:18 of the half after the Aggies had pulled within 23-22, an outburst that hit full throttle after Mara returned to the game. He played 14 minutes in the first half, and among his highlights were blocked shots on back-to-back-to-back Utah State possessions late in the first half.

Some of the advantages Mara creates don’t show up in the box score, such as the adept way he switches on screens. Or the passes that indirectly lead to scores, even if they don’t wind up as assists.

Or the chances he creates around the basket, such as his back-to-back dunks off of Kobe Johnson passes, or his pretty left-handed hook for a score.

The game was uncomfortably close for the first 12 1/2 minutes. Yes, a 12 seed shouldn’t beat a 7, but the Aggies’ Mason Falslev scored nine of Utah State’s first 12 points, and his drive, Aubin Gateretse’s score in transition and Deyton Albury’s run to the rim on consecutive possessions brought the Aggies within 23-22 with 7:34 left.

Then things changed. Mara went underneath a defender’s arm and up for a dunk, and after Gateretse made one of two free throws, Mara followed with that hook to make it 27-23. Falslev countered with an inside basket, but Skyy Clark drained a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock. Dylan Andrews made two free throws after he was fouled going to the basket, Lazar Stefanovic sank a 3-pointer, and Mara converted those two Johnson passes into dunks, and it was 39-25.

It didn’t hurt that after that early spurt, Utah State had trouble solving the Bruins’ defense. The Aggies finished the first half shooting 31.3 percent and made 2 of 17 3-pointers — which meant that after making their first two of the evening, they were 0 for 15.

Mara isn’t guarding any 3-point shooters. But when you keep firing from beyond the arc even as you keep missing, it means you don’t think there’s much chance for success closer to the basket. And that is part of what a 7-3 presence in the middle can provide.

But there is the downside, and it might have been what Bruins fans — and Cronin — feared when Mara rolled his ankle against Wisconsin last week in the Big Ten Tournament. Mara checked in 56 seconds into the second half, and limped to the sideline 1:23 later, favoring his left ankle.

And when the trainers re-taped it, and Mara returned to the huddle two minutes later, there were cheers among those wearing blue. He did return, but by then, the Bruins were ahead comfortably and about to turn it into a rout. They led 47-31 after two Eric Dailey Jr. free throws with 16:55 left, and a short jumper by Utah State’s Ian Martinez — after Bilodeau batted the ball to him — and a 3-pointer by Isaac Johnson trimmed the UCLA lead to 47-36.

The Bruins then scored 11 straight points: An inside basket by Dailey, two free throws by Kobe Johnson, a Bilodeau jumper in the lane and 3-pointers by Johnson and Clark, the latter after Mara’s return to the game, for a 59-35 lead with 12:14 left.

Even a 10-0 Utah State run late in the game, cutting UCLA’s lead to 63-47 with 5:10 left, wasn’t that worrisome. A Dailey turnaround jumper from the baseline, a Bilodeau 3-pointer from the top of the key, and it was 68-47 and the Aggies wouldn’t score another point.

And yes, Mara did get in for the final 2:07.

Earlier in the evening, the early arrivals among UCLA fans represented a dot of powder blue in a sea of Tennessee orange. The No. 2 seed Volunteers earned their spot in Saturday’s second round game with a 77-62 victory over Wofford (S.C.), and it looked like only a few of the UCLA partisans were visibly rooting for Wofford.

Maybe the others figured it would be bad karma to pull for a lower seed.