The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (4-4, 0-0 in Big 12) is set to compete against No. 24 UCLA (8-1, 2-0 in Big Ten) Saturday, Dec. 14 in the Footprint Center in Phoenix at 1 p.m.
Although Arizona and UCLA are not in the same conference this season, the two programs have encountered each other in 113 matchups since 1923 and have been serious competitors for many years.
History vs. UCLA
Out of the 113 games played between the teams, the Bruins boast 63 wins, leaving Arizona with 50. However, the outcomes of the games varied heavily throughout the years, factoring in new players, coaches and seasons. Last season the teams saw each other twice, with Arizona winning both games 77-71 on Jan. 20 and 88-65 on March 7. Notably, Arizona is 6-1 in the last seven matchups against the Bruins.
UCLA players to watch
The Bruins are led by head coach Mick Cronin who is entering his sixth season leading UCLA. During his time at UCLA, Cronin has earned his teams a record of 115-53 and 68-29 in Pac-12 conference play. Before coming to UCLA, Cronin spent 13 seasons as head coach at the University of Cincinnati from 2006 to 2019.
The Bruins have several transfers who have helped to lead the team this season, one of them being Tyler Bilodeau, a junior forward from Oregon State University. During the Bruins victory on Dec. 8 against No. 12 University of Oregon, Bilodeau played 34 minutes, the most for any UCLA player that game, putting up four rebounds and 7 points.
In his career, has Bilodeau averaged 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 64 collegiate games along with a 50.5 shooting percentage from the field. In his career at Oregon, Bilodeau started in all 32 games of his sophomore season. Bilodeau currently leads the Bruins in points and rebounding, averaging 13.3 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game and 1.1 assists per game.
Eric Dailey Jr., a sophomore guard and forward from Oklahoma State University, has put impressive numbers on the board as well, being the team’s second leading scorer. Dailey Jr. currently boasts a stat line of 12.3 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game and 1.7 assists per game.
Against Oregon, Dailey Jr. played 23 minutes and managed to achieve 19 points, five rebounds and two steals to lead the team for the night. During his time at Oklahoma State, Dailey Jr. was ranked third for scoring and averaged 9.3 points per game as a freshman. Notably, he was ranked No. 4 at Oklahoma State for rebounds, averaging 4.8 per game.
Wildcats to watch
Trey Townsend, a fifth-year transfer from Oakland University, has put up notable numbers across stat sheets. In Arizona’s recent loss on Nov. 29 against West Virginia University in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, Townsend secured 19 points in his 40 minutes of play as well as four defensive rebounds. Similarly, in the Wildcats’ loss on Nov. 28 against the University of Oklahoma, Townsend contributed 10 points on the board and five rebounds. He has been a player to watch this entire season despite being transferring and adjusting to a new team.
Another notable Wildcat is Jaden Bradley, a junior guard who previously played at the University of Alabama. Bradley has stayed consistent throughout the season, making major turnouts when necessary. For instance, despite the Wildcats’ 69-55 loss to Duke University on Nov. 22, Bradley scored 18 points, the highest the team saw for that game.
During his sophomore season, Bradley played off the bench in every game, averaging 20.2 minutes per game. This season, Bradley has been a starter, averaging 28.9 minutes per game. Bradley is the team’s second leading scorer for Arizona, averaging 12 points per game, three rebounds per game and 3.1 assists per game. Notably, he leads the team in steals, grabbing 2.5 per game.
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