Arizona @ UCLA preview
Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom
Last Meeting ( Feb 8, 2020 ) UCLA 65, Arizona 52
Jaime Jaquez’s last-second 3-pointer not only gave UCLA a 75-72 win over Arizona State on Thursday night, but it lifted the Bruins into a share of the Pac-12 Conference lead. Red-hot UCLA will try to extend its roll Saturday night when its hosts No. 24 Arizona.
The surging Bruins have won 10 of their last 11 games, including six straight, to bounce back nicely from a 1-3 Pac-12 start. At 11-5, UCLA is tied with No. 16 Oregon for the Pac-12 lead, a half-game ahead of Arizona State (10-5) and a game in front of No. 20 Colorado with two to play and is rapidly building its NCAA Tournament resume after entering the week 76th in the NCAA’s NET rankings. “This is a tremendous win for our team, (and) it was a great game,” first-year UCLA coach Mick Cronin said afterward. “… We’re trying to build faith in our team and the fan base. We’re still a bubble team, and we have to rest up. We have another one-game tournament Saturday night. It’s just the reality of our situation.” Arizona, meanwhile, struggled mightily in a 57-48 loss at USC on Thursday night and has dropped two straight for the first time since early January as it enters Saturday’s contest a game-and-a-half off the Pac-12 pace at 9-6.
TIME: 10 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN
ABOUT ARIZONA (19-9, 9-6 Pac-12): The Wildcats entered the week a lofty seventh in the NET rankings but suddenly are on the outside looking in when it comes to a top-four conference finish and a corresponding first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament. Blame an ice-cold offensive night Thursday as Arizona scored a season-low 48 points while shooting 28.1 percent from the field, including 2-of-15 from 3-point range. Leading scorer (16.3 points per game) and rebounder (8.7) Zeke Nnaji posted his conference-leading 13th double-double Thursday with 15 points and 10 rebounds while fellow freshmen Nico Mannion (13.6 points) and Josh Green (11.9) also are averaging double figures, but Green will miss his second straight game with a lower-back injury.
ABOUT UCLA (18-11, 11-5): Guard Jake Kyman matched his career high with 21 points off the bench Thursday while point guard Tyger Campbell had 10 points and a career-high 14 assists. Guard Chris Smith, who is the only UCLA player averaging double digits with an even 13.0 points per game, will be trying to bounce back from his worst outing in nearly a month, scoring seven points on 3-of-11 shooting. Forward Jalen Hill is averaging 9.3 points and a team-best 7.0 rebounds per contest for the Bruins, who lead the Pac-12 with a plus-6.2 rebound margin.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. UCLA has won three of the last four meetings with Arizona, including a 65-52 win in Tucson on Feb. 8.
2. Smith (15 points) and Campbell (12) scored in double figures in the first contest as the visiting Bruins shot 51.1 percent, including 9-of-17 3-pointers. Nnaji had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona, which shot a season-worst 25.4 percent from the field.
3. The Bruins are 12-4 at home this season while the Wildcats are only 4-5 in true road contests.
PREDICTION: UCLA 75, Arizona 72