UCLA @ North Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 23, 2018 ) North Carolina 94, UCLA 78

North Carolina seeks something positive to end a frustrating stretch and UCLA is looking for a marquee win to build confidence in a young team when the two perennial powers meet in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday in Las Vegas. The Bruins have lost four of seven after winning their first four games while No. 23 North Carolina has dropped four in a row and leading scorer Cole Anthony is out 4-to-6 weeks after knee surgery.

The Tar Heels showed some life by competing hard at second-ranked Gonzaga on Wednesday, but the Bulldogs pulled away for a 94-81 victory after connecting on 59.3 percent from the field and 9-of-18 from behind the 3-point arc. “I still believe we can be a good team,” North Carolina junior forward Garrison Brooks told reporters after scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 from the field in the setback. “We just can’t let this stretch define us.” UCLA, which lost 94-78 against the Tar Heels in 2018-19, hopes its last performance does not preview the rest of the season as the Bruins suffered a 75-61 loss at Notre Dame when they shot 34.9 percent from the floor and missed half of their 20 free throws. “Our offense got us beat,” UCLA first-year coach Mick Cronin told reporters. “You can’t shoot 30 percent, 50 percent from the free-throw line. We would have to play a high school team to win with those numbers.”

TV: 3 p.m. ET, CBS

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (6-5): Brooks is the top active scorer (12.5) and rebounder (8.3) after Wednesday’s performance and his freshman partner up front, Armando Bacot (9.5, 8.1), must recover after managing two points at Gonzaga. Senior guard Brandon Robinson (8.7 points) did not play in the second half Wednesday due to illness, but sophomore backcourt mate Leaky Black (5.0 points) scored six after missing the previous game against Wofford with an ankle injury. Freshman guard Jeremiah Francis scored 11 points against Gonzaga in his third game since returning from a knee injury that delayed his debut.

ABOUT UCLA (7-4): The Bruins are waiting for a consistent major scoring threat to emerge this season, but they are very well balanced with four players averaging between 11.3 and 10.5, led by junior guard Chris Smith. Sophomore Cody Riley (11.1) is second on the team in scoring while 6-6 freshman guard Jamie Jacquez Jr. (7.0) is averaging 13.4 points the last five games and 6-10 sophomore Jalen Hill contributes 10.6 points with a team-high 7.7 boards per contest. Freshman forward Shareef O’Neal (3.1 points) - son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal - had a season-high 11 rebounds in 17 minutes against Notre Dame.

TIP-INS

1. UCLA senior G Prince Ali averages 10.5 points on just 38.8 percent shooting and is slated to play his 100th game for the Bruins on Saturday.

2. North Carolina senior G Christian Keeling recorded a season-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field Wednesday.

3. The Tar Heels entered Friday sixth in the nation in rebound margin (plus-10.8) and UCLA has outrebounded every opponent this season.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 74, UCLA 70