UCLA Basketball vs. Saint Francis U: Gameday info and preview

UCLA Basketball is back at Pauley Pavilion as they get set to take on Saint Francis U. Here is how to watch and what to know about the game…

The UCLA Basketball team is ready for game 3 of the season which comes against Saint Francis U.

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Though they are a team of lesser talent, the Bruins should use this game to practice the weaker parts of their game, especially with competition taking a step up next week.

Here is everything you need to know about UCLA vs. Saint Francis U…

#20 UCLA Basketball vs. Saint Francis U Game Day Info

Records: #20 UCLA Bruins 2-0 | Saint Francis Red Flash 1-1

Location: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA

Tipoff: 8:00 p.m. PT

TV: Pac12 Network

Live Stream: Pac-12 Live

Radio: AM 570

Satellite Radio: Sirius – Ch. 137 | XM – Ch. 197

OnlineRadio: Tune-In

Odds: UCLA -15, O/U: 159

Last Game: #21 UCLA d. LBSU, 91-80 | SFU d. Morgan St., 80-60

ESPN Win Predictor: UCLA 74.9% – LBSU 25.1%

Projected Starters:

UCLA – G Jaylen Hands, G Prince Ali, F Kris Wilkes, F Jalen Hill, C Moses Brown

SFU – G Jamaal King, G Keith Braxton, G Randall Gaskins, F Myles Thompson, F/C Luidgy Laporal

Head Coaches:  UCLA – Steve Alford | SFU – Rob Krimmel

Rosters: UCLA | Saint Francis U

UCLA Basketball vs. Saint Francis U: Stats, Final Word and Prediction

UCLA Key Individual Stats :

• Kris Wilkes – 22.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, .474 FG%
• Moses Brown – 18.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg, .875 FG%
• Jaylen Hands – 16.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.0 apg

SFU Key Individual Stats 2017-18:

• Keith Braxton – 19.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.5 apg
• Jamaal King – 17.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.0 apg
• Myles Thompson – 12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .333 3FG%

Team Stats

Players to Watch

• Kris Wilkes – Wilkes continues to be the go-to guy on offense and he should easily put up over 20 against the smaller Red Flash lineup.
• Moses Brown – Two games, two double-doubles. We like what we see from Brown. Watch for him to continue his double-digit performances.

Last Word

The UCLA basketball team got a wake-up call against Long Beach State in their last game. After running through Purdue Fort Wayne, the Bruins faced a tougher opponent in the 49ers last Friday. Led by head coach Dan Monson, LBSU executed a game plan that ad the Bruins struggling for part of the game.

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We once again saw the Bruins have a lapse in defense, struggle to get the ball in the hoop, and generally had no answer for the first half assault LBSU brought. The Bruins were able to pull together in the second half backed by an 18-7 run. UCLA knows full well that they have the offense to blow past a team, but they are still looking for answers when a team is trying to blow past them.

Enter Saint Francis U, an east coast school that is 1-1 and looking to take down the Mighty Bruins. Though that will not happen, they will try to use an offensive game plan that takes advantage of UCLA’s defensive lapses. Actually, we should expect every team from now until the end of the season to do that against the Bruins.

That is why it is imperative that the Bruins shift the focus over to defense for this game. We already know they will put points on the board, they now have to step up their defensive game. Things are going to get tough in a hurry as UCLA will face Michigan State and UNC or Texas next week in the Las Vegas Classic and those teams will exploit the Bruins’ defense. That is why head coach Steve Alford needs to emphasize defense. A good place to start will be shutting down SFU’s best player.

Keith Braxton is SFU’s leading scorer, rebounder, and assist leader. The obvious thing to do is play him tight, limit his time with the ball, and put multiple defenders on him to tire him out. If UCLA goes to their 2-3 zone, they have to be aware of backdoor cuts and need to rotate accordingly.

With the Bruins having the clear height advantage, they need to grab every rebound (boxing out will help) and make every possession count. That also means establishing a set and not jacking up shots within the first ten seconds of the shot clock.

Prediction: UCLA 98 – Saint Francis U 68