Bruins look to extend streak to 4

The UCLA men’s basketball team will look to extend its winning streak to four games when it plays at Pac-12 rival Stanford tonight. The Bruins (1111 overall, 6-5 Pac-12) have won five of their last six games, holding opponents to 60.6 points per game in those victories.

Stanford (11-10, 6-5) beat UCLA 59-53 at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 3. The Bruins led 30-26 at halftime but shot only 32.8% from the field as part of what would become a four-game losing streak.

The Bruins are coming off a pair of 71-63 home victories over Oregon and Oregon State, after which sophomore guard Dylan Andrews was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the first time on Monday. Andrews, who grew up in Gardena, averaged 19.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals.

“Player development is so important,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “It’s been my whole career. You have to get guys who are good guys that will work hard and listen and you have to get them from people that don’t think

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coaching is holding their players back because that’s an epidemic in basketball. You have to recruit kids from families and coaches that believe in player development.”

Andrews’ fellow starters were excited when they heard the news.

“I was happy for him,” freshman guard Mack said. “I texted him and called him and let him know that that’s what we deserve and that’s what we needed and just keep going, keep playing the way you’re playing, you’re doing a good job and you’re helping lead us in the right way.”

Said forward Adem Bona: “Dylan has been playing very well for the past six games. I would say the whole team has been playing well for the past six games, but especially Dylan on the defensive end, offensively.”

“The main thing I would say is confidence with him,” guard Lazar Stefanovic said. “He’s really in control of the game. He plays at his own pace.”

UCLA AT STANFORD When: Today, 6 p.m. Where: Maples Pavilion, Stanford

TV/radio: Pac-12 Network/

Records: UCLA 11-11 overall, 6-5Pac-12; Stanford is 11-10, 6-5

UCLA’s latest result: UCLA’s Andrews scored a game-high 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3 for 3 from 3-point range in the Bruins’ victory over Oregon. The Bruins jumped out to a 23-5 lead early but trailed 34-33at halftime. Andrews, who finished with seven assists, took over in the second half, including five clutch points during UCLA’s 9-2run to close out the victory.

Stanford’s latest result: The Cardinal are coming off an 82-71loss at Arizona on Feb. 4. Maxime Raynaud, a 7-foot-1junior forward, scored a game-high 29points on 11-of-19shooting, including a season-high 5 for 6 from 3-point range.

Matchups to watch: Bona, who is 6-10, and possibly freshman center Aday Mara, who is 7-3, against Raynaud. Bona and Mara are traditional post players, so it will be intriguing to see how Cronin decides to guard Raynaud, who is shooting 38.2% from 3-point range this season. UCLA trends to watch: The

Bruins are 3-4 in true road games this year. However, UCLA is 2-1away from Pauley Pavilion since Jan. 17 with wins at Arizona State and USC.

“I don’t address it. I believe it’s an excuse for the road team,” Cronin said. “We talk about what it takes to win, understand that teams do play harder at home, their girlfriend is probably at the game, but it’s not OK to lose just because you’re on the road.

“That’s the softest mindset you can have and that’s the opposite of everything I’m about, so I try to project that preparation and toughness eliminates where the game is at.”

Stefanovic has averaged 11.0points per contest in 22 games. However, the 6-7 junior wing player has averages of 16.2points and 7.2 rebounds in the team’s past six games. Stefanovic, who rarely comes off the floor, had played 35minutes per game this season, slightly above Andrews’ 34.7minutes per game.

Entering tonight’s game, the Bruins are tied for fourth place with Stanford, Utah (15-7, 6-5) and Colorado (157, 6-5).