UCLA
USC
Men's Basketball to Play at USC on Saturday Evening
January 23, 2024 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES โ The Bruins return to action at crosstown rival USC on Saturday, Jan. 27. Game time at USC's Galen Center is set for 5 p.m. (PT). UCLA's upcoming game at USC will be nationally televised on ESPN2. UCLA has won two of its last three games, having split a pair of road games week on a trip to Arizona State (W, 68-66) and Arizona (L, 77-71).
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GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Galen Center
Capacity: 10,258
Tipoff Time: 5:05 p.m. (PT)
Television: ESPN2
TV Talent: Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play), Bill Walton (analyst)
Radio Broadcast (UCLA Sports Network): AM 1150
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS XM: SiriusXM 380 and on the SXM App
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VERSUS USC
The Bruins have compiled an all-time record of 8-9 against USC at the Trojans' home venue, the Galen Center (opened prior to the 2006-07 season). Last season, UCLA and USC each won regular-season contests on their home court. UCLA's Jaylen Clark hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 15 seconds to play in the Bruins' 60-58 win in Pauley Pavilion. USC's Boogie Ellis scored 27 of his team-best 31 points in the second half in the Trojans' 77-64 win at the Galen Center, three weeks later.
THURSDAY'S MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Bruins' head coach Mick Cronin, along with junior Lazar Stefanovic and sophomore Adem Bona, met with local media members in the Mo Ostin Basketball Center on Thursday morning.
Coach Cronin Video |ย Bona/Stefanovic Video
THE LAST TIME OUT
Arizona overcame a 37-28 deficit at halftime last Saturday to defeat UCLA, 77-71, before a capacity crowd at the Wildcats' McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. UCLA led by as many as 19 points midway through the first half (32-13, with 7:20 to play before halftime). The Bruins shot 58.3 percent from the field in the first half, connecting on 6 of 9 attempts from 3-point range. UCLA freshman Sebastian Mack led the Bruins in scoring (21 points), while Lazar Stefanovic added 17 points. The Bruins limited Arizona to its lowest point total in a home game (77 points) through 10 home contests this season.
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SPLIT IN THE DESERT
UCLA's 77-71 loss at Arizona took place three days after the Bruins had erased a 15-point second-half deficit at Arizona State, securing a 68-66 win at ASU's Desert Financial Arena. Lazar Stefanovic scored a team-leading 18 points and Sebastian Mack scored all 11 of his points in the second half in the win at Arizona State.
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SHOOTING PERCENTAGES
The Bruins have shot 37.3 percent from 3-point distance in their last three games (connecting on 22 of 59 attempts). Lazar Stefanovic has shot 8-for-17 from long-range in the past three games. UCLA has gone 2-0 this season when shooting at least 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (at Oregon State on Dec. 28, and versus Washington on Jan. 14). The Bruins have shot 47.4 percent from the field in the last three games and 43.1 percent overall in the past five contests. As a team, UCLA has shot at least 50 percent from the field in three games this season (going 3-0 in those contests).
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65 OR FEWER POINTS
The Bruins have held their opposition to 65 points or fewer in 10 of 19 contests this season, posting a 7-3 record in those games. UCLA has surrendered a Pac-12-leading 64.6 points per game this season (68.1 points per game in eight Pac-12 games). Last season, the Bruins limited the opposition to 65 points or fewer in 27 of their 37 total games, compiling a 25-2 record in those contests. UCLA has allowed 50 points or fewer in three games this season (versus Saint Francis, Lafayette and Chaminade in non-conference games back in November).
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SCORING DEFENSE
Through games played on Monday, Jan. 22, the Bruins ranked No. 29 in the country and first in the Pac-12 in fewest points allowed per game (64.6 ppg, through 19 games). UCLA's field goal percentage defense ranked No. 43, nationally, and second in the Pac-12 (40.2%). Under fifth-year head coach Mick Cronin, UCLA's scoring defense ranked No. 41 in the nation in 2021-22 (at 64.5 ppg) and No. 7 in the country last season (at 60.7 ppg). The Bruins have allowed fewer than 70 points in 44 of their last 54 games, going 37-7 in those 44 contests (since the start of the 2022-23 season).
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BLOCKED SHOTS LEADERBOARD
Sophomore Adem Bona (12.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg) has totaled 94 blocks in 52 career games (1.8 per game). Bona has moved into a tie for the No. 10 spot on UCLA's all-time blocks list (tied with Tony Parker, from 2013-16). Parker totaled 94 blocks during his four-year career (10th place), and Ed O'Bannon (1992-95) finished with 95 blocks en route to leading UCLA to the 1995 NCAA Championship (ninth on that list). Jelani McCoy (1996-98) set the program's career record with 188 blocks during his three-year collegiate career. Through Monday's games, Bona ranked No. 29 in the nation with 37 blocks this season.
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BRUINS' YOUTH MOVEMENT
UCLA's 15-man roster includes seven true freshmen, one redshirt freshman (Jack Seidler), three true sophomores and one redshirt sophomore (Will McClendon). In all, the Bruins have 12 players in their first or second seasons on the court. In addition, the Bruins have four true freshmen who will not turn 19 years old until later this year (Jan Vide, Aday Mara, Ilane Fibleuil and Brandon Williams). The Bruins' program added eight new faces last summer โ seven true freshmen and one transfer, junior Lazar Stefanovic (from Belgrade, Serbia, transferring from the University of Utah).
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LOOKING AT LAST WEEK
UCLA went 2-1 in three Pac-12 games last week โ winning at home against Washington, 74-61 (on Sunday, Jan. 14), winning on the road at Arizona State, 68-66 (on Wednesday, Jan. 15), and dropping a 77-71 decision at No. 12 Arizona (on Saturday, Jan. 20). Over the Bruins' last three games, UCLA has shot 47.4 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from 3-point distance (22-for-59). Lazar Stefanovic has made 8-of-17 attempts (47.1%) from 3-point range in the last three games, averaging 16.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest.
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HALFTIME COMEBACK
UCLA's 13-point halftime comeback at Arizona State marked the Bruins' largest comeback win, when trailing at halftime, since overcoming a 16-point deficit (44-28) against Oregon in Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 23, 2019. The Bruins defeated Oregon that evening, 90-83, as then-sophomore Jaylen Hands scored all of his team-leading 27 points in the second half. Midway through the second half, Hands had scored 14 consecutive points for UCLA.
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FROM LONG DISTANCE
Sophomore Will McClendon has shot a team-leading 39.1 percent from 3-point distance (18-for-46) through 19 games. The 6-foot-3 guard from Las Vegas, Nev., has averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists this season. McClendon missed UCLA's 2021-22 season recovering from a torn ACL (right knee). In total, 65.1 percent of McClendon's scoring this year has come from beyond the 3-point arc. After opening the year 5 of 15 from 3-point range (33.3%), he has shot 41.9 percent from long distance in the past 14 games (13-for-31). He has made 13 of 16 free throw attempts (81.3%).
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3-POINTERS, AS A TEAM
UCLA has shot 30.0 percent from 3-point range. The 2019-20 team shot 32.3 percent, the lowest single-season 3-point percentage by any UCLA team (NCAA adopted the 3-point arc in 1986-87). UCLA is averaging 4.7 made threes per game, the lowest per-game average since 1996-97 (3.9 per game). In addition, the 15.8 attempts per game are the fewest since 2012-13 (14.7 per game). Last season, UCLA averaged 6.1 made threes per game and took 17.6 attempts per game.
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UCLA'S LEADING SCORER
Sebastian Mack has averaged a team-leading 13.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 19 games. The 6-foot-3 freshman guard from Chicago, Ill., has twice secured Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors. He ranked No. 2 among all Pac-12 players in most free throws made (87-for-114), through games played on Monday, Jan. 22. In addition, Mack was tied for the No. 6 spot in the Pac-12 in steals per game (1.6 spg). He has scored in double figures in five of UCLA's last six games and recorded a team-leading 21 points in the Bruins' 77-71 loss at No. 12 Arizona last Saturday afternoon.
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FRESHMAN, FREE THROWS
Sebastian Mack has shot 87-for-114 at the line, logging the most made free throws (87) by any UCLA freshman since Kevon Looney in 2014-15 (Looney finished 92-for-147 at the line in 36 games). Mack's 117 attempts are the most by a UCLA freshman since Moses Brown (128) in 2018-19 (45-of-128, 35.2%). Through 19 games, Mack has twice made at least 13 free throws in a game. He shot 13-for-13 at the line in a loss to No. 4 Marquette, UCLA's first perfect free throw display by a freshman (at least 10 attempts) since Jordan Adams (16/16) in an 80-79 win over UC Irvine on Nov. 13, 2012.
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HOME CONTESTS
The Bruins have gone 5-4 in nine home contests this season, shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 28.7 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Sebastian Mack has averaged 14.9 points and Adem Bona has registered 13.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per home game. Bona has shot 64.3 percent from the field in those games. UCLA has limited the opposition to 39.0 percent shooting from the field in nine home contests (and 31.3 percent shooting from beyond the 3-point line). In addition, the Bruins are averaging 66.9 points per game at home, while limiting the opposition to 60.9 points per contest.
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NOTES ON PAULEY PAVILION
โ This marks the 58th season in which UCLA has played in Pauley Pavilion. The arena opened in time for the 1965-66 basketball campaign. The first game in Pauley Pavilion took place on Dec. 3, 1965, as No. 1 UCLA took down Ohio State (92-66). UCLA spent 47 seasons in Pauley before the venue was closed for an 18-month renovation. UCLA hosted 18 home games in 2011-12 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena (14 games) and the Honda Center in Anaheim (four games).
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โ CSUN snapped UCLA's 29-home-game winning streak earlier this season (CSUN won, 76-72, on Dec. 19, 2023). Prior to that loss, UCLA had not lost at home since Jan. 13, 2022 (an 84-81 overtime loss to Oregon). UCLA's 29-game home streak had been the longest active streak in the country. Since taking over as UCLA's head coach prior to the 2019-20 season, Mick Cronin has guided the Bruins to a 60-10 record in 70 home games (85.7% win percentage).
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โ The Bruins' 29-game home winning streak had marked the longest such streak at UCLA since registering a program-record 98-game home winning streak in the 1970s. The Bruins won 98 straight home games from Dec. 4, 1970, through Feb. 19, 1976. UCLA had a 25-game winning streak in 2006 and 2007 and won 23 consecutive games from Feb. 1994 through Jan. 1996 (includes one game that California later forfeited).
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RECENT HISTORY
The Bruins have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three seasons. UCLA secured its 19th NCAA Final Four appearance in 2021, earning a No. 11-seed in the 68-team field and advancing from the First Four to the Final Four. Along the way, the Bruins registered victories over Michigan State, BYU, Abilene Christian, Alabama and Michigan. In 2022 and 2023, UCLA won its first and second-round matchups before losing in the Sweet 16. In all, UCLA's program has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 52 times and has won a nation-leading 11 NCAA championships.
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LEADING THE WAY
โ Bruins' head coach Mick Cronin has guided the program to an 107-47 overall record (now in his fifth season at UCLA).
โ Over the past three seasons, Coach Cronin has led UCLA to a 9-3 record in three NCAA Tournament appearances.
โ Coach Cronin has earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors in 2020 and 2023.
โ Coach Cronin was named as one of 10 semifinalists for last season's Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year Award.
โ Coach Cronin has led his teams to at least 20 wins in 14 of his 20 previous seasons as a college head coach.
โ Coach Cronin's teams have averaged 25.7 victories per season over the last 13 years (2010-11 through 2022-23).
โ Coach Cronin has twice led his teams to 31 victories (last season at UCLA, and in 2017-18 at Cincinnati).
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STANDING TALL
UCLA's 15-man roster this season includes five players who stand at least 6-foot-9-inches tall. Freshman center Aday Mara, from Zaragoza, Spain, stands at 7 feet and 3 inches. During the Bruins' 2018-19 season, then-freshman Moses Brown measured at 7-foot-1 (Brown now plays for the Portland Trail Blazers). Mara becomes the Bruins' tallest player since the late Mike Lanier (7-foot-7, 310 pounds) competed as a reserve center for the Bruins in 1991-92 and 1992-93. Adem Bona, Kenneth Nwuba and Devin Williams are all 6-foot-10, while Berke Buyuktuncel is 6-foot-9.
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UCLA VERSUS USC, THE RIVALRY
โ UCLA has compiled an all-time record of 146-115 against USC. The two schools split a pair of regular-season matchups last season, with UCLA winning in Pauley Pavilion (Jan. 5, 2023) and USC winning the game at the Galen Center (Jan. 26, 2023).
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โ The all-time series between UCLA and USC began during the 1927-28 school year. USC won 42 consecutive games over the Bruins from 1932 through 1943. In 27 seasons under head coach John Wooden, UCLA tallied a 63-18 record against the Trojans (during the 1948-49 through 1974-75 basketball seasons).
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โ UCLA owns the longest winning streak against USC in recent history, having won 10 consecutive games versus the Trojans from Feb. 2, 1995 through Feb. 17, 1999. USC snapped the Bruins' 10-game winning streak with a 91-79 victory at the Los Angeles Sports Arena (USC's previous home arena) on Jan. 12, 2000.
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โ Aaron Holiday's 34-point game, on March 3, 2018, marked the most points scored by any UCLA player in one game at the Galen Center. Holiday scored 20 of his team-best 34 points in the second half. He finished that game at USC having made 11 of 16 shots, including 6-of-8 from beyond the 3-point arc. He also had seven assists and five rebounds.
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โ USC has won seven of the last eight meetings against UCLA at the Galen Center. The Bruins have scored 70 or more points at USC's Galen Center in five of the 17 all-time meetings. USC has been held to fewer than 70 points (against UCLA) in 11 of the 17 all-time contests. Last season, USC outscored UCLA by a 52-27 margin in the second half to overcome a 37-25 deficit against the visiting Bruins (Jan. 26, 2023).
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โ Boogie Ellis scored 31 points against UCLA at the Galen Center last season (Jan. 26, 2023), the highest single-game point total against the Bruins in the Galen Center. Drew Peterson's 27 points (Feb. 12, 2022) marked the second highest single-game point total by a USC player versus the Bruins at the Galen Center.
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โ UCLA and USC have played two overtime games over the past 11 seasons. Most recently, UCLA outlasted the Trojans, 93-88, in overtime in a game in Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 28, 2019. UCLA's Chris Smith hit a jump shot with 59 seconds to play in regulation, tying the game 82-82. UCLA outscored USC in the overtime session by an 11-6 tally.
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โ Johnny Juzang finished with a team-leading 13 rebounds in UCLA's 66-48 loss at USC on Feb. 6, 2021 (during the pandemic-affected seasons). That single-game rebound tally stands as the most rebounds registered by any UCLA player at the Galen Center. Thomas Welsh had 12 rebounds in a loss to the Trojans on Feb. 4, 2016.
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โ Kyle Anderson was close to a triple-double (15 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists) in the Bruins' 83-73 win at USC on Feb. 8, 2014.ย Anderson's eight assists in that game marked the highest single-game assist total by any UCLA player in 17 games played at USC's Galen Center. Anderson also finished that contest with a pair of blocks and one steal.
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