UCLA Basketball vs Arizona State 2018: Gameday info and preview

The UCLA Basketball team is looking to halt their current losing streak as they return to Pauley Pavilion to face Arizona State.

The UCLA Basketball team is trying to get back on the winning track when they return home this week after dropping two out of three games on the road.

The Bruins looked like they reverted back to Steve Alford-form in those two losses and if they do not make a departure from that way of playing, the Arizona schools, which are visiting LA this weekend, are going to run all over UCLA. We will see how all this goes starting Thursday.

Here is everything you need to know about UCLA vs. Arizona State…

UCLA Basketball vs. Arizona State Game Day Info

Records: UCLA Bruins 10-8, 3-2 (T-4th) | Arizona State Sun Devils, 13-5, 4-2 (3rd)

Location: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA

Tipoff: 8:00 p.m. PT

TV: FS1

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Radio: AM 570 or AM 1150 (Los Angeles)

Satellite Radio: Sirius – Ch. 105 | XM – Ch. 197

OnlineRadio: Tune-In

Odds: —

Last Game: USC d. UCLA, 80-67 | Arizona State d. Oregon, 78-64

ESPN Win Predictor: UCLA 52.1% – Arizona State 47.9%

Projected Starters:

UCLA – G Jaylen Hands, G Prince Ali, F Kris Wilkes, F Chris Smith, C Moses Brown

Arizona State – G Luguentz Dort, G Rob Edwards, G Remy Martin, F Romello White, F Zylan Cheatham

Head Coaches:  UCLA (interim) – Murry Bartow | Arizona State – Bobby Hurley

Rosters: UCLA | Arizona State

UCLA Basketball vs. Arizona State: Stats, Final Word and Prediction

UCLA Key Individual Stats :

• Kris Wilkes – 17.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, .435 FG%
• Moses Brown – 11.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, .659 FG%
• Jaylen Hands – 11.8 ppg, 6.4 apg, 3.7 rpg

Arizona State Key Individual Stats:

• Luguentz Dort – 16.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.6 apg
• Remy Martin – 12.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.3 apg
• Zylan Cheatham – 12.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg, .537 FG%

Team Stats

Pac-12 Standings

1. Washington 5-0, 14-4
2. Arizona 5-1, 14-5
3. Arizona State 4-2, 13-5
4. Oregon State 3-2, 11-6
5. USC 3-2, 10-8
6. UCLA 3-2, 10-8
7. Utah 3-2, 9-8
8. Oregon 2-3, 11-7
9. Stanford 2-4, 9-9
10. Colorado 1-4, 10-7
11. Washington State 1-4, 8-10
12. California 0-6, 5-13

Players to Watch

• Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes – As the de facto leaders of this Bruin squad, they need to step up and show the conference exactly what this team is made of. They have the most talented roster in the Pac-12, now they have to prove it.

Last Word

The UCLA basketball team was on a roll for two games (and six minutes of a third game) after the firing of Steve Alford, but since then, the Bruins have reverted back to their Alfordian ways. What worked against Stanford and Cal, did not seem to translate when the Bruins played Oregon State and USC.

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Both the Beavers and Trojans paced themselves in the first half and then blew the doors open in the second, beating the Bruins on offense, defense and in transition. It was as if they knew what UCLA would do and would not (be able to) do.

What do I mean by that? Well, it is obvious that teams have to simply move the ball around until they eventually find an open shooter in the corner to take uncontested shots or drive the lane when the middle defender in UCLA’s 2-3 zone pop out as the Bruins have not figured out rotating on defense. As for the Bruins’ offense, you simply have to wait for them to jack up a bad shot early in the shot clock. If they actually do hold onto the ball (especially if they have not turned it over), defenses simply need to clog the middle and let the Bruins shoot from outside.

Take note, Arizona State. Take note, UCLA. For ASU, they simply have to follow this obvious gameplan because UCLA is not apt to diverting from their script. They will force things on almost every possession and the Sun Devils simply just have to wait and react to UCLA’s actions.

If UCLA wants to prevent this, they have to get creative and they have to not be selfish. Moving the ball around is going to be ideal for the Bruins as they can use their athleticism to attack ASU’s man-to-man defense. If Hands, Wilkes, and Moses Brown play smart and utilize their talent advantage, especially in one-on-one situations, then they can get the win.

UCLA just needs to find a way to play outside of their comfort zone, which means doing things that might not be familiar to them, like sharing the ball, among other things. That is not meant to be a shot, it is just the truth.

The Bruins get stuck in ruts for long stretches which have led to a few bad games. This can change. They have to know that they have more talent and if they can work as a team, they can manifest that talent into 40 minutes of solid basketball.

Prediction: UCLA 88 – Arizona State 85