UCLA Basketball: Bruins are defenseless against Creighton in loss

The UCLA Basketball team lost their first game of the season against Creighton as they lost the sprint between the two uptempo teams, 100-89.

When your team is only four games into the season and you can tell things are not going to go as planned, then it will probably be a long season. That seemed to be the case tonight as the UCLA Basketball team was outrun, out hustled and out played by Creighton, 100-89.

Creighton 100 – UCLA 89

The Bruins were a bit sluggish to start the season, though they were 3-0. Tough wins over Georgia Tech and Central Arkansas threw up a few red flags, especially when it came to defense. UCLA is now giving up 82.3 points per game. This is the second time the Bruins have given up 100 points this season.

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The Bruins did not give up 100 points at all last season. So far, they have done it in half their games.

Creighton is not known for playing defense either and the Bruins had several chances to take advantage, but they were not going anywhere shooting 44.1% and allowing the Jays to shoot 49.3%.

Though the Bruins had four players in double-digits, Aaron Holiday leading all scores with 25, it was not enough as Creighton was faster and more aggressive.

As for the defense, it was more of the same from what we saw in the first three contests. UCLA had no on-ball pressure, they allowed multiple shots from outside to go uncontested, players were allowed to drive the lane and there was minimal boxing out.

Against a team like Creighton, if you can’t slow them down then you better out score them, but as stated above, that was not a possibility. If UCLA is not going to play defense.

Next: Latest AP Poll reflects Bruins' sluggish start

So as of now, UCLA has no defense and does not really have an offensive identity. Though the Bruins needed this loss to assess where they really are, if they do not identify the glaring deficiencies, then, as stated above, it is going to be a long season.