It is the last game of the regular season for the UCLA Basketball team as they try to get a win against crosstown rival USC. Here is how to watch and what to know…
The UCLA Basketball team could have been in contention for a regular season championship, but they playin’. Or more appropriately, they haven’t been playin’, especially defense.
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Instead, the Bruins are trying to keep a Pac-12 Tournament first round bye and stay relevant in the eyes of the NCAA. UCLA is coming off a horrendous road sweep in the mountains and their momentum is not exactly propelling them into March Madness, but since this is a rivalry game, who knows what UCLA team will show up.
Here is everything you need to know about UCLA vs. USC…
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UCLA Basketball vs. USC Game Day Info
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Records:
UCLA Bruins 19-10, 10-7 (3rd Pac-12)
USC Trojans 21-9, 12-5 (2nd Pac-12)
Location: Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA
Tipoff: 7:15 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: AM 570 or 1150 Los Angeles
On-line Radio: Tune-In
Odds: TBD
Last Game:
Colorado d. UCLA, 80-76
USC d. Utah, 74-58
ESPN Win Predictor: USC 70.8% – UCLA 29.2%
Projected Starters:
UCLA – G Aaron Holiday, G Jaylen Hands, F Kris Wilkes, F Gyorgy Goloman, C Thomas Welsh
USC – G Elijah Stewart, G Jordan McLaughlin, G Jonah Matthews, F Nick Rakocevic, F Chimezie Metu
Head Coaches:
UCLA – Steve Alford | USC – Andy Enfield
Rosters:
UCLA Basketball vs. USC: Stats, Final Word and Prediction
Key Individual Stats – UCLA:
Aaron Holiday – 19.6 ppg, 5.8 apg, 3.6 rpg
Thomas Welsh – 12.9 ppg,10.6 rpg, .485 FG%
Kris Wilkes – 13.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, .434 FG%
Key Individual Stats – USC:
Chimezie Metu – 15.9 ppg, 47.3 rpg, .520 FG%
Jordan McLaughlin – 12.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 7.6 apg
Elijah Stewart – 11.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, .407 3FG%
Team Stats:
| Team | Avg Pts | Opp. Pts | FG% | Rebs | Asts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 82.2 (2) | 76.4 (10) | .463 (6) | 39.1 (1) | 15.2 (5) |
| USC | 78.4 (5) | 70.9 (2) | .471 (3) | 34.7 (8) | 16.1 (1) |
Stats in ( ) indicate Pac-12 ranking
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Players to Watch:
Gyorgy Goloman – The Bruins can heavily rely on Holiday and Welsh, but they need some support from their other veteran.
Kris Wilkes – The second best scorer on the team needs to step up and put some balls in the basket to help the Bruins get the “W”.
Last Word:
I am getting pretty tired of writing “consistently inconsistent”, but until head coach Steve Alford changes things, that is the description UCLA will be given.
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
- UCLA Football: Position battle breakdown for Utah showdown
- UCLA vs. Utah: Location, time, prediction, and more
- UCLA Football: Highlights from Chip Kelly’s appearance on the Jim Rome Show
The Bruins have had more than enough chances to make an impact in the Pac-12, yet they have continued to underperform. Last week they were swept at the mountain schools, which is the 7th time an Alford-coached UCLA team has been swept on the road (as opposed to only having three road sweeps of their own).
With the talent UCLA has, they should have at least taken one of those games, but as it is, they are now in a three-way tie for third place in the conference standings. With that in mind, the Bruins will have some trouble taking on USC who is on a four-game win streak and playing some excellent basketball. Though they are without Bennie Boatwright and despite the allegations that Metu received money for his services, the Trojans are riding high.
With that in mind, USC could very well blow UCLA out of the water, but there is another side to that coin, namely the consistent inconsistency. The Bruins usually play up to their (good) opponents, so it is not hard to fathom UCLA coming out swinging, surprising USC and getting a win.
But in reality, it seems as though the Bruins might be running out of gas as the season draws to a close and because of that, USC should take over in this game.
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Prediction: USC 89 – UCLA 73