UCLA Basketball: 5 things we learned from the non-conference schedule

The UCLA basketball team is about to begin Pac-12 Conference play. With the Bruins gunning for championship, we look at five things from non-conference play that could help or hurt those chances.

So here we are. The day the Pac-12 basketball schedule begins. Some call it the real start of the season, and in some ways, it is. Winner of the conference most likely gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and the winner of the Pac-12 Tounrament is guaranteed a trip to the NCAA Tournament. So where will the UCLA basketball team land amongst conference play?

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To answer that we have to see what they have done in non-conference play. There were some ups and downs, but will it lead to a conference title? Let’s dive into the  five things we learned during non-conference play.

1. Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh need to continue to lead

The Bruins have needed some time to get their chemistry flowing and even though it is not consistent, they have had two veterans that have led by example and taken the team on their back in the majority of games in the non-conference.

Aaron holiday was expected to take his game to another level. Last season when he came off the bench for Lonzo Ball at the point guard spot, he emerged with fire and intensity. This is why he was arguably the best six man in the nation. This season, it seems he’s had trouble balancing his leadership and basketball player rolls, but it’s not for lack of trying.

Holiday and his veteran partner Thomas Welsh have had to carry the load in the non-conference. Holiday has had down games, but you have to give a player respect for putting 20 points and 8 assists on Kentucky.

There are things that Welsh could work on, but he seems to get stronger and smarter with every passing game. Sure you want your 7-footer underneath the basket grabbing buckets and rebounds, but he’s also doing a very fine job of being one of UCLA’s top outside shooters. This season he is 48.8% from the field and astonishingly 46.2% from three-point land.