The UCLA Basketball team is back in action at Pauley Pavilion as the Bruins host South Carolina State in an early evening Friday affair.
The UCLA Basketball team is starting off a bit slow. Though the Bruins are 2-0, they could easily be 0-2. With three players indefinitely suspended, depth has taken a hit.
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Still, that does not make up for the problems that did not seem to get attention in the off-season, specifically defense. UCLA is also how having a hard time finding their indentity. The goal is to push the tempo like they did last season, but that is taking its time to develop.
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UCLA Basketball vs. South Carolina State Game Day Info
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Records: UCLA Bruins 2-0
South Carolina State 0-3
Location: Pauley Pavilion, Westwood, CA
Tipoff: 6:00 p.m. PT
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Live Stream: Pac-12 Live
Radio: AM 570 or 1150 Los Angeles
On-line Radio: Tune-In
Odds: UCLA -35.5, O/U 160
Last Game:
#23Â UCLA d. Central Arkansas, 106-101
Yale d. South Carolina State, 86-54
Projected Starters:
UCLA – G Aaron Holiday, G Jaylen Hands, F Kris Wilkes, F Gyorgy Goloman, C Thomas Welsh
South Carolina State – G Janai Raynor Powell, G Ty Soloman, F Ian Kinard, F Damani Applewhite, F Ozante Fields
Head Coaches:
UCLA – Steve Alford | South Carolina State – Murray Garvin
Rosters:
UCLA Basketball vs. Georgia Tech: Stats, Final Word and Prediction
Key Individual Stats:
Aaron Holiday – 17.8 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.5 rpg, .789 FT%
Thomas Welsh – 13.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.0 blocks, .481 FG%
Kris Wilkes – 19.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.5 blocks, .667 3FG%
Team Stats:
| Team | Avg Pts | Opp. Pts | FG% | Rebs | Asts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â UCLA | Â 84.5 | 80.5 | .451 | 43.5 | 15.0 |
| SCSt | 52.0 | 87.3 | .319 | Â 26.0 | Â 7.7 |
Related Story: Bruins fall two spots in latest AP Poll
Player to Watch:
Kris Wilkes – This freshman is already showing off Bosnian skills as he is averaging 18.5 ppg and is getting points from everywhere on the floor. He even plays defense!
Last Word
The Bruins need to figure out what exactly they want to do this season. It is evident they need more time to mesh. This game could provide that against a team that is having trouble scoring points. A perfect chance to practice defense and try to get on the same page with offense.
Next: Both UCLA Basketball teams get wins in their season openers
Prediction: UCLA 97 – Central Arkansas 75