The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Bruins’ guard play could be difference at Arizona State
The UCLA men’s basketball team is gaining confidence heading into a three-game road trip that begins with today’s game at Arizona State.
“It’s always a great feeling when we can get back in the win column,” UCLA sophomore guard Will Mcclendon said before Tuesday’s practice at the Mo Ostin Basketball Center. “Especially, how we did it. We did it with a lot of passing and that was big for us because we haven’t had that many assists in a while.”
The Bruins’ 73-61 win at home against Washington, which featured 20 assists on 25 field goals, broke the team’s four-game losing streak and was UCLA’S first win at Pauley Pavilion since Nov. 30.
“We see the light,” Will Mcclendon continued. “We know what it takes so we just have to keep implementing that into the game.”
The Bruins, who have an all-time 7324 record against the Sun Devils, have a three-game winning streak against Arizona State, including a 79-61 win at Pauley Pavilion on March 2, 2023.
Mcclendon said he knows what the team’s backcourt has to do to be successful and beat Arizona State.
“Honestly, I just feel like we can hit open shots, make the right passes and take care of the ball most importantly. I think that’s been the thing with us all year if we can just take care of the ball, we’ve known we can play with anybody,” Mcclendon explained.
The 6-foot-3 redshirt sophomore guard from Las Vegas said it is also important that he and his teammates have the confidence to shoot when they are open.
“We always encourage each other to shoot the open shot. Sometimes it can be hard because we’re always trying to do the right thing but sometimes you can’t think about it and you have to let it go,” Mcclendon shared.
Here’s what you need to know about the Pac-12 matchup:
UCLA AT ARIZONA STATE
When: Today, 6 p.m.
Where: Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz.
TV: Pac-12 Network
Records: UCLA is 7-10, 2-4Pac-12, Arizona State is 10-6, 4-1
UCLA’S latest result: The Bruins are coming off a 73-61win against Washington on Jan. 14. Sophomore forward Adem Bona had a team-high 22points on 10of 13field goals, including five thunderous dunks, which energized his team, in particular on defense. “I’ve been begging him to do it for two years,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said when asked about Bona’s decision to begin calling for the ball when he was open. “If he played with me he wouldn’t have to call for the ball, I’d be telling him to get ready for the ball. I could pass. “I was just born into a really bad body unfortunately so I had to coach for a living but I could pass but most guys can’t. The hardest pass to make is one toward the basket because there’s usually somebody in the way, anybody can pass the ball sideways but throwing it to a big guy, you’re going to have to usually deal with the guy guarding you and the guy guarding him so it’s hardest pass. We’ve been begging (Adem) to get better at it and he’s going to have to continue in
that area but I definitely think our passing (against Washington) was better as well.” Meanwhile, sophomore point guard Dylan Andrews had a career-high eight assists against the Huskies and believes a doubledigit assist game is on the horizon. “It’s dope, especially being a PG (point guard) at UCLA,” Andrews said. “It feels good but I’m going to keep going, keep striving and hopefully I can crack that 10assists.” The 6-foot2sophomore from Gardena said he’s also looking forward to throwing down a dunk like Bona and senior center Kenneth Nwuba, who combined for six dunks against Washington. “Coming soon,” Andrews said with a smile. “My legs feel good so I’m excited. I can’t wait to get one this year.”
Arizona State’s latest result: The Sun Devils are coming off an 82-67loss at Washington on Jan. 11, against the same Huskies team UCLA defeated 73-61on Jan. 14. Junior guard Jamiya Neal, the team’s fourth leading scorer, had a team-high 14points in the loss. However, Arizona State won their first four Pac-12games and is currently in second place in the league standings.
Matchup to watch: UCLA’S Andrews against Arizona State junior guard Frankie Collins, a 6-foot-1 guard who is averaging a team-high 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.1steals per game. Andrews said he’s focused on limited turnovers against the Sun Devils’ pressure defense. “They’re a very scrappy team, also a vet team and we know that they like to get after it and we do too but we have to make sure we handle the ball, especially limit turnovers. If we limit turnovers I think we have a good shot,” Andrews said.
UCLA trends to watch: Sunday’s win was just the Bruins fifth time in 17games scoring more than 70points this season. UCLA is 4-1when they score at least 70. “Every game you play is like a war and so you have to be better than the other team, you have to limit mistakes, limit turnovers, limit dumb fouling, limit just anything you can to not let the game get away from you... but we also have to eliminate it with hustle and defense and rebounding,” Andrews shared. In the Bruins’ 12-point win vs. Washington to move out of last place in the Pac-12standings, they shot 50% from the field (25 of 50), including 42.9% from three-point range (6of 14). In the team’s prior losses, UCLA was hampered by low field goal percentages, by shooting 31.5% against Utah, 42.9% against Cal, 32.8% against Stanford and 42.9% against Oregon.