UCLA
San Jose State
UCLA Hoops to Host San Jose State on Sunday
November 30, 2019 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – UCLA has compiled a 5-3 record, entering Sunday's non-conference game against San Jose State (3-4) in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. The Bruins have recorded an 8-1 all-time record against San Jose State, but these two programs have not faced each other since Dec. 11, 1982. The series against the Spartans began during the 1934-35 school year. Following Sunday's game against San Jose State, the Bruins will be back in action against Denver on Sunday, Dec. 8. UCLA has registered a 10-1 all-time record versus Denver with the most recent meeting having occurred on Jan. 2, 1976.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom
Venue Capacity: 13,800
Tipoff Time: 5:06 p.m. (PT)
Television: Pac-12 Network
TV Talent: Anne Marie Anderson (play-by-play), Casey Jacobsen (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network): AM 1150
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
XM Channel: TBD
SIRIUSXM Internet Channel: TBD
SUNDAY'S PROMOTIONS
Fans can celebrate Joe Bruin's Birthday at the game this Sunday with Josie and their mascot buddies before the game on the North concourse and during halftime. In addition, fans can enjoy $3 bags of peanuts and various culinary items from three different food trucks (Chicken & Rice, Go Fish House, and Empire Hot Dog) along the South concourse. There will be free pizza and Diddy Riese cookies available for the first 400 UCLA students in attendance. After the game, all youngsters who are under high school age can shoot a free throw on the court. Tickets are still available starting at only $15 by clicking here or visiting the box office on Sunday.
NOTES ON THE BRUINS
- UCLA opened its regular-season schedule with eight games through a 22-day span in November.
- The Bruins will play must five games in December before opening Pac-12 play at Washington on Jan. 2.
- Most recently, UCLA went 1-2 at the three-day Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawai'i.
- Four Bruins are currently averaging at least 10.0 points per game, led by junior Chris Smith (12.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg).
- Sophomore David Singleton leads the team in 3-point percentage (52.9%), having made 9 of 17 attempts this season.
- Prince Ali and Cody Riley scored in double figures in each of UCLA's three games on the island of Maui.
- UCLA ranks second in rebounding margin in the Pac-12 Conference, through games played Friday, Nov. 29.
- Junior Chris Smith ranks second among all Pac-12 players in free throw percentage (28 for 30, 93.3 percent).
VERSUS TOP-10 RANKED OPPOSITION
The Bruins' 75-62 loss to No. 3 Michigan State on Wednesday morning on the island of Maui marked UCLA's first game against a top-10 ranked team since last season's appearance at the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational (at Orleans Arena). The Bruins dropped a 94-78 decision to then-No. 7 ranked North Carolina on Nov. 23, 2018. UCLA's game against Michigan State last week was the Bruins' first contest against a top-5 ranked opponent since the final game of the 2016-17 season (when UCLA lost to No. 5-ranked Kentucky in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, 86-75).
BACK FROM MAUI
UCLA concluded its sixth appearance in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational last Wednesday, having gone 1-2 with a win over Chaminade and losses to BYU and No. 3-ranked Michigan State (UCLA's first appearance in Maui since Nov. 2015). In three games, Cody Riley averaged a team-leading 12.7 points per game and also registered 6.0 rebounds per contest. After having played 10 minutes in a loss to BYU, freshman Jaime Jaquez Jr. registered 17 points and 12 rebounds versus Chaminade on Tuesday and had seven points and a game-high eight rebounds against Michigan State on Wednesday.
OTHER NOTES
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. shot 64.7 percent (11 for 17) from the field through three games on the island of Maui. He logged his first career double-double in the 74-48 win against Chaminade (17 points, 12 rebounds) and led all players from both teams in rebounds on Wednesday (eight rebounds, versus Michigan State).
- David Singleton, who ranked second in the Pac-12 in 3-point field goal percentage last season, has made 9 of 17 attempts from 3-point range this season. In three games in Lahaina, Hawai'i, Singleton shot 6 for 11 from beyond the 3-point arc. He made a career-best five 3-point shots in last week's win against Chaminade (Nov. 26).
- UCLA has had five different players enter the game off the bench and score at least 10 points. Prince Ali had 10 points off the bench in the season opener. Jules Bernard has had 20 and 16-point games off the bench, while Jaime Jaquez (17 points), David Singleton (15 points) and Chris Smith (13 points) have also accomplished that feat.
UCLA'S HEAD COACH
Mick Cronin has entered his first season as The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. Hired at UCLA in April 2019, he spent the previous 13 seasons as head coach at the University of Cincinnati, his alma mater. He guided Cincinnati to the NCAA Tournament the past nine seasons, leading the Bearcats to the American Athletic Conference's regular-season title in 2014 and 2018. Cincinnati also won the AAC Tournament championship in 2018 and 2019.
EYE OF THE TYGER
Tyger Campbell, a redshirt freshman point guard, has averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds through eight games. The 5-foot-11 guard from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has shot 44.2 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from 3-point range (8-for-19). He recorded 15 points and five assists in his first collegiate game (versus Long Beach State on Nov. 6). Campbell also scored in double figures (15 points) in the Bruins' 71-54 win against UNLV on Nov. 15. He missed the entire 2018-19 season recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, sustained in practice on Oct. 7, 2018. He has become UCLA's fifth starting point guard in as many seasons with the departure of Jaylen Hands (second-round NBA Draft pick, Brooklyn Nets, June 2019).
BRUINS' FRONTCOURT
Redshirt sophomores Jalen Hill (11.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Cody Riley (11.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg) have anchored the Bruins' frontcourt through the first eight games of the year. Riley enters this Sunday's game having shot 53.4 percent from the field while Hill has shot 60.7 percent. Those two players have combined for 34.3 percent of the Bruins' total rebounds. Chris Smith (12.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg) is the Bruins' leading scorer and the third-leading rebounder.
AT THE FREE THROW LINE
The Bruins have shot 69.6 percent from the free throw line through eight games, making 128 of 184 attempts. UCLA shot 81.3 percent at the free throw stripe in the win against UNLV on Nov. 15, marking the Bruins' best single-game free throw percentage since Feb. 22, 2018, when the Bruins shot 81.9 percent against Utah (9-for-11). Through games played Friday, Nov. 29, UCLA ranked third in the Pac-12 in free throw attempts (184) and free throws made (128).
UCLA'S FIFTH-YEAR SENIORS
Redshirt seniors Prince Ali (10.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Alex Olesinski (1.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) have entered the 2019-20 season as UCLA's most veteran student-athletes. Ali has played in 96 career games, making 55 starts, while Olesinski has played in 81 career contests (two starts). Both Ali and Olesinski were true freshmen when UCLA previously competed in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational (Nov. 2015). They have each played in six games at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
TWO INCOMING FRESHMEN
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (pronounced HY-may HAH-kez) scored a season-high 17 points in the team's win over Chaminade last week (Nov. 26), connecting on 8 of 11 shots. The 6-foot-6 guard/forward from Camarillo, Calif., has played in all eight games, averaging 16.3 minutes per contest. Jake Kyman made his collegiate debut on Thursday, Nov 21, against Hofstra, connecting on 2 of 5 shots from 3-point range. Kyman nailed each of his first two shot attempts in the first half of that game.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Senior Prince Ali, UCLA's top returning scorer from last season's team, enters this Sunday's game having scored 748 career points (7.8 ppg in 96 career contests). He currently leads UCLA's team in most career points scored. Junior Chris Smith ranks second in that category, having scored 433 career points through 74 career games.
- The Bruins have returned 47.6% of their scoring production from last season. UCLA lost its top three scorers from last season's roster (Kris Wilkes 17.4 ppg, Jaylen Hands 14.2 ppg, Moses Brown 9.7 ppg), as all three student-athletes chose to pursue a professional career. UCLA has returned 56.6% of its rebounding production from one year ago.
- Former UCLA center Moses Brown, who was a freshman with the team last season, has become the 95th former UCLA player to have played in the NBA. Brown, a 7-foot-1 center from New York City, made his NBA debut with the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, Nov. 12. He tallied three rebounds in four minutes of action in a game versus Sacramento.
- UCLA limited Chaminade to 23.3 percent shooting from the field in the Bruins' second game of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational (Nov. 26). That marked the first time UCLA had limited an opponent to 25 percent (or lower) since Dec. 3, 2014, when the Bruins held Cal State Fullerton to just 13-of-54 shooting in a game in Pauley Pavilion (24.1 percent).
- Jules Bernard, a sophomore from Los Angeles, scored 20 points off the bench in UCLA's 77-61 victory against UC Santa Barbara (Nov. 10). He tied his career high (points) in that game, having also logged 20 points off the bench in the Bruins' 90-83 victory at home against Oregon last season (Feb. 23), in what was UCLA's second-to-last home contest.
- Looking at UCLA's 15-man roster, 10 of the team's student-athletes either grew up in the Southern California region or attended high school in the Los Angeles area. Cody Riley (listed as Kansas City, Kan.), moved to the Los Angeles area when he was in middle school and attended Sierra Canyon High School (Chatsworth, Calif.).
- The largest single-game point total of any returning UCLA player belongs to redshirt sophomore Jalen Hill, who had a career-best 24 points in a loss to Hofstra (Nov. 21, 2019). The largest single-game rebound total of any returning Bruin also belongs to Hill, who tallied 20 boards in a win against Presbyterian last season (Nov. 19, 2018).
- Sophomore David Singleton finished his freshman campaign (2018-19) ranking No. 6 on the school's single-season list for highest 3-point percentage (46.7%). He made 35 of 75 shots from 3-point range, logging the second-highest percentage of any player in the Pac-12 (behind California's Matt Bradley, who shot 47.2%, making 50 of 106 attempts).
