UCLA Basketball looks for the road sweep against Arizona State and a chance to tie for the top spot the Pac-12. Here is how to watch and what to know…
The UCLA Basketball team blew everyone away on Thursday when they dismantled the Arizona Wildcats… in Tucson, something that does not happen to the Wildcats. So while UCLa is riding high on that achievement, they need to come back down to earth for they battle against Arizona State.
UCLA could in fact get a road sweep, but they have to go through the surprising Sun Devils. It will not be easy, but it is doable.
Here is everything you need to know about UCLA vs. Arizona State…
UCLA Basketball vs. Arizona State Game Day Info
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Records:
UCLA Bruins 17-7, 8-4 (2nd Pac-12)
Arizona State Sun Devils 18-6, 6-6 (7th Pac-12)
Location:Â Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe, AZ
Tipoff: 4:00 p.m. PT
TV: Pac-12 Network
Live Stream: Pac-12 Live
Radio: AM 570 or 1150 Los Angeles
On-line Radio: Tune-In
Odds: Arizona State -5, O/U: 162
Last Game:
UCLA d. #13 Arizona, 82-74
Arizona State  d. USC, 80-78
ESPN Win Predictor: Arizona State73.4% – UCLA 26.6%
Projected Starters:
UCLA – G Aaron Holiday, G Jaylen Hands, G Prince Ali, F Kris Wilkes, C Thomas Welsh
Arizona State – G Tra Holder, G Shannon Evans II, G Kodi Justice, F Romello White, F Vitally Shibel
Head Coaches:
UCLA – Steve Alford | Arizona State – Bobby Hurley
Rosters:
It's GAMEDAY in the Valley of the Sun!
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) February 10, 2018
UCLA plays at Arizona State in a Pac-12 showdown today at 4 pm PT (5 pm MT). The game will be televised by @Pac12Network.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/AlV04Oej7M
UCLA Basketball vs. Arizona: Stats, Final Word and Prediction
Key Individual Stats – UCLA:
Aaron Holiday – 19.1 ppg, 5.5 apg, 3.6 rpg
Thomas Welsh – 12.9 ppg,10.4 rpg, .486 3FG%
Kris Wilkes – 13.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, .466 FG%
Key Individual Stats – Arizona State:
Tra Holder – 19.2 ppg, 34.6 rpg, 3.8 apg
Shannon Evans II – 17.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.0 apg
Romello White – 11.9 ppg, 47.6 rpg, .649 FG%
Team Stats:
| Team | Avg Pts | Opp. Pts | FG% | Rebs | Asts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â UCLA | Â 82.9 (2) | 75.7 (10) | .470 (2) | 38.4 (1) | 15.3 (5) |
| Arizona St. | 84.8 (1) | 74.6 (9) | .470 (2) | Â 36.5 (4) | Â 14.8 (7) |
Stats in ( ) indicate Pac-12 ranking
Related Story: Potential 2018-19 depth chart
Player to Watch:
Gyorgy Goloman – The power forward has often taken a back seat to other Bruins, but he has been stepping up lately, which is something the Bruins need… another veteran to take on some of the heavy lifting.
Last Word:
More from Go Joe Bruin
- UCLA Football: It’s time for the nation to meet Dante Moore
- UCLA Football: Where are they ranked heading into week 4
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- UCLA vs. Utah: Location, time, prediction, and more
- UCLA Football: Highlights from Chip Kelly’s appearance on the Jim Rome Show
Arizona State turned heads in the non-conference season, going 12-0 and shooting up the Top 25 rankings. Unfortunately, they lost their grip once Pac-12 play started and are now in the bottom half of the conference. Despite the fall, they are still considered a dangerous team. Head coach Bobby Hurley, as intense as he is, has made his team just as intense, they just need to learn how to finish games.
They did that on Thursday as they were down by nine points against USC and fought back to get the win. UCLA, who has also let off the gas late in games, seems to be learning from their mistakes. The Bruins are in the toughest stretch of their conference schedule (USC, Arizona and ASU) and are surprisingly 2-0.
If UCLA wants to go 3-0, they need to come out with the same energy they did in their last four games, which have all been wins. The Bruins seem to be meshing nicely and need to keep up the production. Holiday and Welsh continue to be spark for this team, but other veterans and their youth seem to be picking up the pace. Goloman, Wilkes, Prince Ali and Jaylen Hands have all had flashes of greatness and need to be the X-factors in this game.
It will be close, and even though the Sun Devils are looking to make their own mark, the Bruins have the momentum to get the win, which they should be able to do. It’s going to be very close.
Final side note, if UCLA wins and USC beats Arizona today, there will be a three-way tie for first place in the Pac-12 involving these three teams. No pressure though.
Next: The UCLA Basketball All-Time Team
Prediction: UCLA 75 – Arizona State 74