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UCLA Basketball: 5 things we learned from the Bruins’ exhibition game

By Mike Regalado

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins watches from the bench during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic game against the Creighton Bluejays at the Sprint Center on November 20, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins watches from the bench during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame Classic game against the Creighton Bluejays at the Sprint Center on November 20, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 10: UCLA’s Head Coach Steve Alford is seen at the UCLA Men’s Basketball game against the Univeristy of Michigan at Pauley Pavilion on December 10, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 10: UCLA’s Head Coach Steve Alford is seen at the UCLA Men’s Basketball game against the Univeristy of Michigan at Pauley Pavilion on December 10, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /

2. The Big Basketball Bruin Beast by the name of Moses Brown

It is been a while but the UCLA basketball team finally has a dominant inside presence. No disrespect to Thomas Welsh, who was the team’s leading rebounder last season, but he was more effective on the baseline and from beyond the three-point arc. This year, Moses Brown will be the dominant inside presence that Steve Alford needs to help run his up-tempo offense.

Related Story. What can 7’2 center Moses Brown do for you?. light

Yes, it was just one game against a team that went 5-25 last season, but from what we saw in the exhibition game, not only does Brown have a pension for carving out space for himself under the in the paint, but he also has the moves to get around defenders and make plays.

Though this was a small sample size of what we will see with his game this season, it seems that UCLA is going to try to force the ball in the middle and if that’s the case, Brown will be that spark that helps the offense put up a ton of points from the frontcourt.

Not only did Brown get a double-double in the game with 20 points and 13 rebounds, but he also added four blocks. His length is going to make players second guess driving to the rim. He is a little lanky, which could allow stronger frontcourt players to back him down, but if he plays smart, he will be a very effective weapon down low.