Brigham Young @ UCLA preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 18, 2010 ) Brigham Young 79, UCLA 86

UCLA looks to bounce back from a 10-point loss to Hofstra when the Bruins face BYU on Monday in the first round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Bruins had allowed an average of 60.3 points during their season-opening four-game winning streak before giving up 12 3-pointers in Thursday’s 88-78 home loss to Hofstra.

Sophomore forward Jalen Hill scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the loss for UCLA, which shot 6-of-22 from 3-point range and allowed Hofstra guards Desure Buie and Jalen Ray to score a combined 56 points. “We got exposed,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin told reporters. “We have young, inexperienced players. We got beat off the dribble seemingly every possession.” Sophomore forward Cody Riley scored 12 points before fouling out midway through the second half, while senior guard Prince Ali was held to nine points on 4-of-13 shooting – including 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Both players will need stronger performances against BYU, which was picked to finish third in the West Coast Conference preseason coaches poll behind Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s.

TV: 11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT BYU (3-2): Senior guard Jake Toolson averages 16 points and 4.4 rebounds to lead the Cougars, who won back-to-back games against Southern Utah and Houston before losing 72-68 in overtime at Boise State on Wednesday. Against Boise State, guards TJ Haws and Connor Harding added 10 points and four rebounds apiece for a BYU team that is playing without star forward Yoeli Childs for the first nine games due to an NCAA suspension. “We’re trying to become a good team and we’re far from it right now,” coach Mark Pope told reporters. “We have a lot of work to do and these games in Maui give us the opportunity to try to figure out who we’re trying to become.”

ABOUT UCLA (4-1): Four players are averaging at least 10 points per game - including 6-9 junior guard Chris Smith, who ranks second on the team in scoring (14.8 points per game) and is 18-for-18 from the free throw line. Cronin has been encouraged by the play of freshman point guard Tyger Campbell, who is averaging 8.2 points and five assists while starting all five games. Hill is averaging 15.2 points, nine rebounds and 1.6 blocks while providing some much-needed consistency for a team that features 10 freshmen or sophomores.

TIP-INS

1. UCLA won the last meeting between the teams in 2010 by an 86-79 margin and holds a 12-11 lead in the all-time series.

2. Both teams continue play in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational on Tuesday against either Kansas or Chaminade.

3. UCLA is 57-8 when leading at halftime since the start of the 2016-17 season.

PREDICTION: UCLA 78, BYU 73