UCLA
Cincinnati
UCLA to Host No. 25 Cincinnati on Saturday
December 11, 2017 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – UCLA (7-2) returns to Pauley Pavilion to face Cincinnati (8-2) on Saturday, Dec. 16. Saturday's game, slated to begin at 12:30 p.m., will mark the first ever contest in Pauley Pavilion between UCLA and Cincinnati. The Bruins upended Cincinnati, 79-67, in the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament. UCLA and Cincinnati have gone 2-2 against each other in the all-time series. UCLA's game will be nationally televised on CBS, and the Bruins' radio broadcast will be available on AM 570 (KLAC).
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion (13,800)
Game Time: 12:30 p.m. (PT)
Television: CBS
TV Talent: Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), John Schriffen (sideline)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG): AM 570
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS/XM Channels: Ch. 136/Ch. 197
SIRIUS App. Channel: Ch. 959
DOWNLOAD THE UCLA APP
Be sure to download the UCLA Bruins Mobile App to your device, free of charge (download here). The official app of UCLA Athletics allows fans to receive in-game stats and live updates during events. Fans can also sign up to receive push notifications about gameday promotions, game times, live scoring and more. Fans can shop for UCLA gear with one click in addition to getting breaking news from UCLA Athletics. When searching iTunes or Google Play, use the term "UCLA Bruins" for more direct access.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to this Saturday's game against Cincinnati by clicking here. To purchase a Bruin Fast Pass, click here to reserve your spot in Pauley Pavilion for only $99. Fans can also secure seats for any of the remaining UCLA home games by calling (310) 206-5991 or visiting uclabruins.com/tickets. Click here to download the men's basketball schedule directly to your calendar.
GRATITUDE TOWARD OUR FIREFIGHTERS
The UCLA Athletic Department is offering two complimentary tickets to its men's basketball games during Winter Break to all California firefighters. By calling (310) UCLA-WIN, firefighters can claim their complimentary tickets and also have the opportunity to purchase additional seats at regular price. This complimentary offer is good for upcoming home games against Cincinnati (Dec. 16), South Dakota (Dec. 19), Washington State (Dec. 29) and Washington (Dec. 31).
CHARITY TOY DRIVE
The Bruins have partnered with Ronald McDonald House on a charity toy drive during the holiday season. Fans are encouraged to bring new and unwrapped toys (in their original packaging) to any entrance of Pauley Pavilion this Saturday. Everyone who donates a toy will receive one voucher for two free tickets to any home 2018 UCLA Gymnastics meet and the first 700 fans will receive McDonald's 'Be Our Guest' coupons.
STAR WARS DAY
This Saturday, UCLA will offer limited-edition Star Wars Day cheer cards for the first 10,000 fans in attendance. Star Wars characters will be appearing pregame, and UCLA-Star Wars branded merchandise will be available for sale on the main concourse in Pauley Pavilion. In addition, fans will have the opportunity to win great Star Wars prizes, including Last Jedi movie passes, t-shirts, BB-9E and R2-D2 app-enabled droids, a Poe Dameron electronic helmet and much more. Saturday's halftime show will feature America's Got Talent finalists Christian and Scooby. After the game, all kids under high school age are invited to shoot a free throw on the Pauley Pavilion court.
MARCH OF 2017
Most recently, UCLA advanced to last season's Sweet 16 with a 79-67 win over Cincinnati in Sacramento, Calif. Five of UCLA's eight players who competed in last season's matchup are now playing professional basketball in either the NBA or the NBA's G-League. As a freshman in last year's game, Lonzo Ball finished with 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the win over Cincinnati on March 19, 2017, at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
UCLA'S LAST GAME
UCLA lost in overtime, 78-69, at Michigan last Saturday in a nationally-televised contest (CBS). Aaron Holiday scored a career-high 27 points and added seven assists. Thomas Welsh tied his career high with 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, marking the senior center's sixth double-double in nine games. UCLA led the host Wolverines at halftime, 30-27, and built a 15-point lead with just under 15 minutes to play in the second half (46-31). Michigan reduced UCLA's cushion to 60-58 with 4:06 remaining before tying the game, 65-65, in the game's final 11 seconds.
NEARING 1,000
Senior center Thomas Welsh and junior guard Aaron Holiday are both nearing the 1,000-career-point plateau. Welsh will enter this Saturday's game in Pauley Pavilion having totaled 953 career points (needing just 47 more to reach 1,000 points). Holiday has totaled 931 points and stands 69 points shy of tying the 1,000-point mark. UCLA's men's basketball program has 54 former players who have scored at least 1,000 career points wearing the Bruins' uniform. Last season, Isaac Hamilton became the 54th Bruin to have reached the illustrious 1,000 career-point plateau.
BRUINS' BIG MEN
Senior center Thomas Welsh has recorded six double-doubles in nine games, averaging 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Through Dec. 10, Welsh ranked second among all Pac-12 players in rebounds per game and in double-doubles (six, two shy of Arizona's Deandre Ayton). Senior Gyorgy "G.G." Goloman (7.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg) recorded a career-high five assists in the Bruins' win over Detroit Mercy (Dec. 3). Sophomore Alex Olesinski (5.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg) has tallied the team's best overall field goal percentage (57.6%), having made 19 of 33 shots. Olesinski has averaged 18.9 minutes per game off the bench.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Five of the Bruins' eight regular players in the current rotation did not see action on the court for UCLA last season. Both Prince Ali and Alex Olesinski (redshirt sophomores) played as true freshmen in 2015-16 but took redshirt years in 2016-17. Jaylen Hands, Chris Smith and Kris Wilkes are all true freshmen and have each played vital roles early this season. Wilkes enters the game on Saturday versus Cincinnati as UCLA's third-leading scorer (12.3 ppg) and second-leading rebounder (6.0 rpg). He ranks third on the team in minutes (27.2 mpg) and has started all nine contests for UCLA.
ELITE COMPANY
Junior guard Aaron Holiday has totaled 931 career points and 336 career assists. He's close to becoming the 13th UCLA player on record to have recorded at least 1,000 points and 300 assists in his UCLA career. Likewise, Thomas Welsh enters the Bruins' upcoming game against Cincinnati having totaled 953 career points and 774 career rebounds. Welsh is on pace to become the 12th UCLA player to have registered at least 1,000 points and 800 rebounds wearing a UCLA uniform. The most recent UCLA player to have reached the 1000-point, 800-rebound benchmark was Dan Gadzuric in 2001-02.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati has compiled an 8-2 overall record, most recently defeating Mississippi State on Tuesday (65-50). Prior to the Tuesday night win, the Bearcats had lost back-to-back contests at Xavier (89-76, on Dec. 2) and to Florida (66-60, on Dec. 9). In his 12th season as Cincinnati's head coach, Mick Cronin has led the Bearcats to the NCAA Tournament the last seven years. Junior Jacob Evans III (14.2 ppg) and senior Gary Clark (12.8 ppg) have been the team's top two scorers through the Bearcats' first 10 games. Midway through November, Cincinnati won three straight games at the Cayman Islands Classic.
IT'S A REMATCH
Seven of Cincinnati's nine players who competed in the UCLA-Cincinnati NCAA Tournament meeting last March are back for the Bearcats this season. Cincinnati led the Bruins, 30-27, at halftime of the NCAA Tournament game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif. UCLA used an 18-5 scoring run midway through the second half to take a 12-point lead (64-52 with 9:10 remaining) and held on for the 79-67 victory on March 19, 2017.
UCLA VERSUS CINCINNATI
UCLA and Cincinnati have split the previous four meetings, 2-2, in the all-time series. Three of the previous four games between these programs have occurred in the NCAA Tournament (2017, 2002 and 1962). The regular-season game featuring UCLA and Cincinnati took place Dec. 18, 1965 (Cincinnati defeated UCLA, 82-76, at the L.A. Sports Arena). UCLA lost to Cincinnati, 72-70, in the 1962 Final Four (Louisville, Ky.). No. 8-seed UCLA edged the No. 1-seed Bearcats, 105-101, in double overtime of a second-round meeting in the 2002 NCAA Tournament (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
MOVIN' ON UP
Thomas Welsh ranks third on the school's all-time blocked shots list (127), having surpassed Charles O'Bannon (118) for the No. 3 slot earlier this season. The top two spots on UCLA's career blocks list are occupied by Jelani McCoy (188) and Dan Gadzuric (184). McCoy played at UCLA from 1995-98, while Gadzuric starred for the Bruins from 1999-2002. Welsh currently ranks No. 7 on the school's all-time field goal percentage list (55.7 percent overall). Please note, UCLA's official "blocked shot" statistic has only been tracked on a consistent basis since the 1978-79 season.
WHAT A PRINCE
Prince Ali will enter Saturday's game having averaged 10.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 rebounds per game. He ranks second on the team in steals (11), has shot 50.8 percent overall (32-of-63) and has made 48.0 percent of his three-point attempts (11-of-25). Hailing from The Bronx, N.Y., Ali spent his four years of high school in Florida. He attended The Sagemont School (Weston, Fla.) for his final two years of high school and was teammates during his junior year with Gyorgy "G.G." Goloman (while Goloman was a senior, 2013-14). Ali missed last season recovering from a torn meniscus (left knee).
HOME SWEET HOME
UCLA compiled a 16-1 record last season in Pauley Pavilion, outscoring the opposition by an average of 20.8 points per home game. In all, UCLA has posted a 79-13 record in Pauley Pavilion since the arena reopened in Nov. 2012 (following an 18-month renovation). The Bruins had an 11-game home win streak last season, the program's longest home win streak since recording 15 consecutive victories in 2013-14 (during Steve Alford's first season as UCLA's head coach). UCLA last had an undefeated record at home in 2006-07, going 16-0 in Pauley Pavilion that year.
ON THE HORIZON
Following this Saturday's game against Cincinnati, the Bruins will have two games left on their schedule before opening Pac-12 play at home against Washington State on Thursday, Dec. 29. Next week, UCLA will host South Dakota on Tuesday, Dec. 19, before traveling to face No. 8 Kentucky at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La., as part of this season's CBS Sports Classic. UCLA will take on Kentucky at 1 p.m. (PT) / 3 p.m. (CT). Prior to that matchup, Ohio State will face North Carolina at 10:30 a.m. (PT) / 12:30 p.m. (CT). This will mark UCLA's fifth game against Kentucky through four seasons.
