UCLA
Nebraska
No. 15 Men's Basketball to Play at Nebraska on Saturday
December 31, 2024 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES โ The UCLA men's basketball will return to Big Ten Conference action this weekend, playing at Nebraska (11-2, 1-1 Big Ten) on Saturday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Game time is set for 11 a.m. PT (1 p.m. CT in Nebraska). Ranked No. 15 in this week's AP poll, UCLA (11-2, 2-0 Big Ten) has won 10 of its last 11 games, including a 65-62 win over No. 14 Gonzaga last Saturday at Intuit Dome in Inglewood. This Saturday's showdown in Lincoln, Neb., will mark the Bruins' first contest against Nebraska since November of 2016.
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GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena
Capacity: 15,500
Tipoff Time: 11:10 am PT (1:10 pm CT)
TV Network: FOX
TV Talent: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Nick Bahe (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Audio Network): AM 570
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS XM: Channel 83 and on the SXM App
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UCLA'S TICKET INFORMATION (HOME GAMES)
Single-game tickets for UCLA's nine remaining home games are on sale. Fans can secure tickets to each of the Bruins' remaining home conference games in UCLA's historic, inaugural year in the Big Ten. The Bruins will return to Big Ten action after the New Year. UCLA will host Michigan next Tuesday (Jan. 7). Game time is set for 7 p.m. (PT). This will mark Michigan's first meeting against UCLA in Pauley Pavilion since Dec. 10, 2016.
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Additional home matchups in Big Ten play will include Iowa (Friday, Jan. 17), Wisconsin (Tuesday, Jan. 21), Oregon (Thursday, Jan. 30), Michigan State (Tuesday, Feb. 4), Penn State (Saturday, Feb. 8), Minnesota (Tuesday, Feb. 18), Ohio State (Sunday, Feb. 23) and USC (Saturday, March 8) in the season finale for both schools.
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Complete ticket information about UCLA men's basketball is available here. Direct links to single-game ticket purchases can be viewed here. Fans can call (310) 206-5991 or email tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for more information. In addition, be sure to check out all of the game themes and upcoming promotions for the Bruins' 2024-25 season.
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CATCHING UP ON THE BRUINS
โ No. 15-ranked UCLA has opened with an 11-2 record heading into this Saturday's game at Nebraska
โ This marks the 106th basketball season at UCLA and the sixth year with head coach Mick Cronin at the helm.
โ Most recently, the Bruins outscored Gonzaga, 7-2, in the final 40 seconds on Saturday afternoon to win, 65-62.
โ Junior Tyler Bilodeau has averaged 14.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 13 games, shooting 49.0 percent from the field.
โ Through games played on Monday, Dec. 30, UCLA ranked No. 8 in the nation in scoring defense (58.7 ppg).
โ Through Monday, Dec. 30, UCLA ranked No. 2 in the nation in turnovers forced per game (18.15).
โ Through Monday, Dec. 30, the Bruins were No. 7, nationally, in turnover margin (+6.7).
โ UCLA has limited the opposition to 65 points or fewer in eight of 13 games this season.
โ Kobe Johnson (29 steals, 2.2 spg) is tied in the No. 1 spot among Big Ten players in steals per game (through Dec. 30).
โ Including this Saturday's showdown at Nebraska, UCLA will play five of its next eight games on the road.
โ UCLA's program added nine incoming players this season โ six transfer students and three freshmen.
โ As head coach, Mick Cronin has led UCLA to an 126-55 record, now in his sixth season with the Bruins.
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MOST RECENTLY
โ Eric Dailey Jr. (18 points, six rebounds, four steals) shot 4-for-5 from 3-point distance as UCLA outlasted Gonzaga, 65-62, before 12,272 fans at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., on Saturday afternoon.
โ The Bruins shot 12-for-24 (50.0 percent) in last weekend's victory over Gonzaga, tying the team's single-game high this year with 12 made 3-pointers. Both Eric Dailey Jr. (4-for-5) and Kobe Johnson (4-for-6) connected on four 3-point shots.
โ Four of UCLA's last five games have been decided by three or fewer points. The Bruins have gone 3-1 in that stretch, with victories at Oregon (73-71 on Dec. 8), versus Arizona (57-54 on Dec. 14) and versus Gonzaga (65-62 on Dec. 28).
โ Prior to last Saturday's win over Gonzaga, UCLA absorbed a 76-74 loss to North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic, played at Madison Square Garden in New York. Tyler Bilodeau scored a team-leading 26 points in that setback.
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BRUINS DEFEAT GONZAGA
In a game that featured eight ties and three lead changes, UCLA prevailed against Gonzaga last Saturday (65-62) as Skyy Clark was a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line in the game's final 15 seconds. Sebastian Mack converted an old-fashioned 3-point play with 33 seconds left, giving UCLA a 61-60 cushion. After a missed 3-pointer by Gonzaga, Skyy Clark corralled the rebound and connected on both free throws. Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard made a layup with 8.1 seconds left, drew a foul and missed the ensuing free throw. Clark made two more free throws and the Bruins secured a 65-62 win.
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COMEBACK OVER ARIZONA
Three weeks ago at Footprint Center in Phoenix, UCLA erased a 13-point deficit with under 11 minutes to play and closed the game on a 21-5 scoring run. The Bruins trailed Arizona, 49-36, with 10:45 remaining. Dylan Andrews tied the contest with a basket under the hoop at the 3:43 mark, and Eric Dailey Jr.'s free throw with 2:18 remaining put the Bruins ahead, 53-52. Tyler Bilodeau (17 points) and Skyy Clark (15 points) each scored in double figures for UCLA.
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UNDER 60 POINTS
UCLA has gone 59-3 since the start of the 2019-20 season when limiting the opposition to fewer than 60 points (all under head coach Mick Cronin). This season, the Bruins have gone 7-0 when holding the opponent to fewer than 60 points. The Bruins ranked No. 8 in the nation in scoring defense through Monday, Dec. 30, surrendering an averaged of 58.7 points per game. UCLA limited Boston University to 40 points (71-40) on Nov. 11, marking the first time since Jan. 19, 2020, in which the Bruins held an opposing team to 40 points or fewer (UCLA defeated California, 50-40, in Pauley Pavilion).
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TALENTED TYLER
Junior Tyler Bilodeau has averaged a team-leading 14.5 points per game and ranks second on the team in rebounding (5.2 rpg). Bilodeau has scored in double figures in nine of UCLA's 13 games, having reached the 20-point plateau in three contests. Two weeks ago, he finished with a career-high-tying 26 points in a loss to North Carolina. He has shot 49.0 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from 3-point distance, knocking down at least four 3-pointers in two games. He shot 5-for-6 from long-range in the Bruins' 76-74 loss to North Carolina at Madison Square Garden (Dec. 21).
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NATIONAL NUMBERS
Through games played on Monday, Dec. 30, the Bruins ranked No. 8 in the nation in scoring defense (58.7 ppg), No. 2 in turnovers forced per game (18.15) and No. 7 in turnover margin (+6.7). In addition, the Bruins have ranked No. 18 in the nation in scoring margin (18.7 points per game). Looking at shooting percentages, the opposition has shot 40.1 percent against UCLA (No. 56, nationally) and 29.6 percent from 3-point range (No. 55, nationally). The latest national metrics on KenPom.com have listed UCLA at No. 4 in the nation in defensive efficiency and No. 68 in offensive efficiency.
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UCLA VERSUS NEBRASKA
The Bruins' program has gone 6-2 in the all-time series against Nebraska. This Saturday's game will mark UCLA's first contest against the Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb., since Dec. 16, 1955. Nebraska won that game against UCLA, 71-65, in what was John Wooden's eighth season as UCLA's head basketball coach. More recently, UCLA secured an 82-71 win over Nebraska at Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 25, 2016, in a game played as part of the Wooden Legacy. Five Bruins scored in double figures in that victory, with Bryce Alford totaling 18 points and Isaac Hamilton finishing with 15 points.
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SKYY'S THE LIMIT
Junior guard Skyy Clark has recorded an assist-turnover ratio of 2.7 through 13 games this season (totaling 36 assists and 13 turnovers). He has committed six turnovers through the Bruins' last seven games, spanning nearly 187 minutes. Clark enters UCLA's game on Saturday with the Bruins' second-highest assist total (36) behind guard Kobe Johnson (44). He registered 11 points, a career-best nine rebounds and a career-high-tying seven assists in the 65-62 win against Gonzaga. Clark scored a season-best 15 points in UCLA's comeback win over Arizona on Saturday, Dec. 14, in Phoenix.
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TOP DEFENDER
Senior guard Kobe Johnson has totaled 184 steals in 103 games (69 starts), now in his fourth collegiate season. He enters this Saturday's contest with a team-best 28 steals (teammate Skyy Clark has totaled 21), having registered nearly 2.3 steals per game in 12 contests as a senior. Johnson and Iowa's Brock Harding ranked No. 1 in the league in steals per game (2.3). Johnson had six steals in a victory over Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 22), the third time in his career he has logged six in a game. Johnson, from Milwaukee, Wis., earned Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors the past two seasons at USC. Over the previous two seasons (64 games), Johnson averaged 10.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.2 steals per contest while at USC.
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Kobe Johnson's older brother, Jalen Johnson, has entered his fourth NBA season (all with Atlanta). Jalen Johnson, at 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, attended Duke University during the pandemic-affected 2020-21 basketball season and was the No. 11 overall draft pick by the Atlanta Hawks in 2021.
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ON THE DEFENSIVE END
Arizona's 54 points scored on Saturday, Dec. 14, were the fewest by the Wildcats' program since Feb. 8, 2020, when UCLA secured a 65-52 win over Arizona at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. The 54 points scored on Saturday by Arizona were the fewest in a game by the Wildcats in head coach Tommy Lloyd's career in Tucson (now in his fourth season). Arizona was held to its fewest made field goals (19) in 12 games this season (19-for-42, 45.2%). UCLA has limited the opposition to 19 made field goals or fewer in six of 13 games (Boston University and Southern Utah were held to 14 made shots).
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ROAD VICTORY IN EUGENE
The Bruins' 73-71 win at No. 12-ranked Oregon on Sunday, Dec. 8, marked the program's first road win over a top-20 ranked opponent since No. 16 UCLA won at No. 20 Maryland, 87-60, on Dec. 14, 2022. Prior to the win in 2022, UCLA won at No. 18 Colorado, 70-63, on Feb. 22, 2020 (during a stretch of the year where the Bruins won 11 of 13 games). The Bruins have not played a road game at a top-10 ranked opponent since losing to No. 7 Arizona, 76-66, at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 3, 2022 (the Bruins were ranked No. 3 in the nation heading into that game).
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FORCING TURNOVERS
UCLA's 30 forced turnovers in the 88-43 win over Southern Utah (Tuesday, Nov. 26) marked the highest single-game total registered by the Bruins since the 1999-2000 season. Previously, the Bruins forced 32 turnovers in a season-opening 76-57 win against Fairfield University in Pauley Pavilion (Fairfield had 32 turnovers, and UCLA committed 22). Since the 1975-76 season, when UCLA began to consistently record turnover stats, the Bruins have forced at least 30 turnovers in six games, spanning a stretch of nearly 1,585 total games. UCLA forced 30 or more turnovers in three other games during the 1990s and in one home victory against Stanford during the 1974-75 season.
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MULTIPLE SCORING THREATS
The Bruins' 2024-25 roster has nine players who have each scored at least 20 points in one collegiate game. Skyy Clark totaled 36 points in Louisville's final game last season (ACC Tournament, against eventual Final Four competitor N.C. State). Dylan Andrews registered a career-high 31 points in the Bruins' win against Oregon State at the Pac-12 Tournament last season (March 13, 2024). Dominick Harris totaled a career-high 31 points last season for LMU in a non-conference win against Central Arkansas. The six other players on that list include Sebastian Mack (27 points), Lazar Stefanovic (26 points), Tyler Bilodeau (26 points), William Kyle III (26 points), Kobe Johnson (21 points) and Eric Dailey Jr. (20 points).
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TRACK AND FIELD, AND BASKETBALL
William Kyle III, a 6-foot-9 forward from Bellevue, Neb., grew up excelling on the track. Introduced to basketball and track and field at an early age, Kyle III most especially enjoyed competing as a young high jump athlete (also ran the 400m and 800m). Kyle III recalls that he competed in the youth national competition as a fourth grader and placed sixth overall in high jump that year. Going into the seventh grade, he finished eighth in high jump (nationals) and around 23rd place in the 800m. Kyle III, who spent his first two years of college at South Dakota State, gravitated more toward basketball in the summer of 2020 while attending Bellevue West High School (COVID-19 pandemic had ended his sophomore high school season).
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DOUBLED UP
UCLA had twice as many shot attempts (80 to 40) as Southern Utah in an 88-43 win in Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday, Nov. 26. That marked the second game since the start of the 1970-71 season in which the Bruins accomplished that feat, having at least twice as many shot attempts than the opposing team (spanning over 1,725 contests). Previously, UCLA outshot Oregon State in Corvallis, 81 to 40 (shot attempts), in a 65-63 loss on Jan. 7, 1999. In this season's home victory over Southern Utah, the Bruins shot 38-for-80 (47.5%) while Southern Utah made just 14 of 40 shot attempts (35.0%).
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CONSECUTIVE THREE-POINTERS
UCLA has made at least one 3-pointer in each of its last 43 games. The Bruins went 0-for-6 from long range in a 78-58 win against Long Island University early last season in Pauley Pavilion (on Nov. 15, 2023). That game snapped a streak of 792 consecutive contests with at least one made 3-pointer by UCLA. That 3-point streak began after the Bruins finished 0-for-14 from 3-point distance in a home loss to No. 2 Stanford (78-63) on Feb. 3, 2000. The Bruins' single-game 3-point record stands at 19 made 3-pointers (going 19-for-31) in an 104-89 win at Colorado on Jan. 12, 2017.
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ROAD WARRIORS
Since the start of the 2021-22 season, UCLA has compiled a 37-25 record in 62 games played away from home. Over the past two seasons, UCLA went 21-16 in games played away from home (14-6 in 2022-23, 7-10 in 2023-24). Earlier this month, the Bruins notched a 73-71 win at No. 12 Oregon on Sunday, Dec. 8. That marked UCLA's first win on the road against a top-20-ranked program since an 87-60 win at No. 20-ranked Maryland on Dec. 14, 2022.
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