UCLA
Arizona State
Men's Basketball to Host Arizona State on Saturday
February 19, 2021 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – UCLA hosts Arizona State in a nationally televised Pac-12 contest this Saturday (ESPN2). The Bruins have gone 70-23 against ASU in the all-time series (the first meeting took place in December of 1949). As of late, UCLA has won the last two matchups before ASU had won four consecutive games from Feb. 2018 through Feb. 2020. Over the past six seasons (2015-16 through 2020-21), the Bruins have gone 6-4 against Arizona State. Last February in Pauley Pavilion, Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit a 3-pointer with less than a second left in regulation to snap a 72-72 tie and help the Bruins secure a 75-72 win against ASU.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom
Tipoff Time: 7:05 p.m. (PT)
Television: ESPN2
TV Talent: Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Bill Walton (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network): AM 570
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS / XM Radio Channel: Ch. 373
SIRIUSXM Internet Channel: Ch. 373
BRUIN GAMEDAY LIVE PREGAME SHOW
Starting 30 minutes before UCLA's home games, Bruin Gameday Live brings fans inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. The live simulcast of the pregame radio show is hosted by Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray. The show includes an interview with head coach Mick Cronin, a matchup scouting report, live shots of the team warmups as well as popular videoboard segments such as the intro video, heritage video and appearances by the UCLA Spirit Squad and the UCLA Band. Once the game starts, Bruin Gameday Live complements the TV and radio broadcasts with game stats, a social media feed, prize giveaways, and more. Bookmark BruinGamedayLive.com on all connected devices to watch UCLA's virtual game day experience.
ABOUT THE BRUINS
- UCLA has gone 11-3 in Pac-12 play, including a 7-0 mark in home games and a 4-3 record away from Pauley Pavilion.
- The Bruins won nine of their first 10 league games for the first time since 2007-08 (finished 16-2 that year).
- Head coach Mick Cronin enters the game on Saturday having compiled 399 career victories (now in his 18th season).
- Dating back to last season, UCLA has won 18 of its past 22 Pac-12 contests (and 26 of 34 overall games).
- Dating back to last January, the Bruins have won 17 consecutive home games (including the last 14 in Pac-12 play).
- UCLA leads all Pac-12 teams fewest turnovers per game (10.9), through Thursday, Feb. 18.
- Not including Chris Smith (injured), UCLA has four active players who have averaged at least 9.9 points per game.
- The Bruins have committed fewer fouls than the opposition in 17 of 20 games.
- Nine players on the Bruins' 14-man roster have each scored at least 10 points in at least one career game with UCLA.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Tyger Campbell (11.2 ppg, 5.7 apg) continues to lead all Pac-12 players in assists per game (5.7).
- Tyger Campbell (33.4) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (33.2) rank No. 5 and No. 8, respectively, in the Pac-12 in minutes per game.
- Tyger Campbell has the fourth-best assist-to-turnover ratio (3.1) in the Pac-12, through Thursday, Feb. 18.
- David Singleton ranks No. 4 in the Pac-12 in 3-point percentage (44.3%, 27-for-61), through Thursday, Feb. 18.
UCLA'S MOST RECENT GAME
Jaime Jaquez Jr. celebrated his birthday in style on Thursday night, scoring a career-high 25 points to lead UCLA past Arizona, 74-60, in Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins recorded their fifth straight win over Arizona, sweeping the regular-season series after having picked up an 81-76 win in Tucson, earlier this season. Jaquez Jr. made 10 of 12 shots in the win, while Tyger Campbell had 13 points and three assists. UCLA shot 73.1 percent from the field (19-for-26) in the second half on Thursday, outscoring the visiting Wildcats in the second half by a 44-29 margin.
FACING ARIZONA
UCLA's five-game winning streak against Arizona marks the Bruins' longest such streak, versus the Wildcats, since head coach Ben Howland's teams won eight consecutive games against Arizona from 2006-09.
HERE'S JOHNNY
Earlier this week, Johnny Juzang became the first UCLA player to have secured Pac-12 Player of the Week honors since Jaylen Hands on March 4, 2019. Juzang, who scored a career-best 32 points last Saturday at Washington, averaged 28.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in the Bruins' two road games last week. He also tallied 25 points in a loss at Washington State (Thursday, Feb. 11). In last Saturday's win in Seattle, he scored 21 of his team's 26 first-half points and finished the game having scored 50 percent of UCLA's total points (32 of UCLA's 64 total points, at Washington).
THE LAST TIME
Johnny Juzang became UCLA's first player to have accounted for least half of his team's points in one game since Reggie Miller (Dec. 19, 1986). Miller scored 38 of 73 points (52.1%) in an 81-73 loss at Washington State.
CLOSING TIME
Through two seasons under head coach Mick Cronin, UCLA has gone 16-4 in games decided by five points or fewer (and all contests that have finished in overtime, regardless of score margin). Last season, the Bruins went 7-3 in those narrow contests. This year, UCLA has gone 9-1. Through Coach Cronin's final three seasons at Cincinnati (2016-17 through 2018-19), his teams went 18-7 in those situations. From 2016-17 through the 2020-21 season, Coach Cronin's teams have gone 34-11 in such contests. Four of the Bruins' last five victories have been by five points or fewer.
70 POINTS OR FEWER
This season, UCLA has compiled an 11-1 record when limiting the opposition to 70 or fewer points. Last season, UCLA went 18-1 when holding the opposition to 70 or fewer points (the lone loss was a 54-52 setback at USC in the final game of the regular season). Through his final three seasons as the head coach at Cincinnati (2016-17 through 2018-19), Coach Cronin's teams went 79-10 when limiting the opposition to 70 or fewer points. Over the past five seasons (2016-17 through 2020-21), his teams have gone 107-12 when holding the opponent to 70 or fewer points (through 156 total games).
UCLA AND THE PAC-12
- UCLA opened Pac-12 play with eight straight victories (now 11-3 in league play). That marked the program's best start in conference play since 1982-83 when UCLA opened its Pac-10 slate with nine consecutive wins. That UCLA team finished 15-3 in the Pac-10 (frst place, with a 23-6 overall record). The most recent UCLA team to go undefeated in league play was the 1977-78 squad (14-0 in the Pac-10, under first-year head coach Gary Cunningham).
- The Bruins are seeking to win the Pac-12's regular-season title for the first time since the 2012-13 season. That year, UCLA went 13-5 in the Pac-12 and finished as the runner-up in the Pac-12 Tournament (lost to Oregon). UCLA last played in the Pac-12 Tournament's title game in 2014 (UCLA won that game against Arizona, 75-71). The Bruins have won the conference tournament in 1987, 2006, 2008 and 2014. Last season's Pac-12 Tournament was canceled (COVID-19).
- Entering this Saturday's home game against Arizona, the Bruins have won 11 of 14 Pac-12 contests this season and 22 of their past 28 league games (starting with last year's home win over California on Jan. 19, 2020). Through that stretch of 28 Pac-12 games (since Jan. 19, 2020), the Bruins have gone 13-2 in contests that have been decided by five points or fewer, or ended in overtime (regardless of the game's final score margin).
POST PRODUCTION
Cody Riley has averaged 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds (19 games, 19 starts). He has totaled a team-high four double-doubles, including a 16-point, 10-rebound performance in a 57-52 win over Oregon State (Jan. 30). Riley has logged noticeable improvements in his shooting percentage (52.6%) and free throw percentage (63.8%). He has made 14 of 18 shots from the field in the final five minutes of all games (and made 17 of 22 free throws in those late-game situations).
MORE ABOUT JAIME JAQUEZ JR.
Sophomore Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a career-high 25 points on his birthday last Thursday (Feb. 18) in UCLA's 74-60 win over Arizona. Jaquez Jr. has averaged 12.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 20 games. He has recorded at least one steal in 18 of the Bruins' 20 games, including a season-high three steals in two games. Jaquez Jr., who spent the summer of 2019 competing with the Mexican National Team (Pan-Am Games in Peru), enters the weekend having ranked No. 8 in the Pac-12 in most minutes per game (33.2). He also has scored in double figures in 13 of 20 games this season.
STEADY IMPROVEMENT
Junior Jules Bernard, who grew up in Los Angeles, has averaged career highs with 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He has shot 43.5 percent and 78.7 percent at the free throw line (48-for-61). Bernard has posted his highest minutes-per-game average (25.4) while at UCLA. He tallied 47 assists and 84 turnovers in his first two seasons but has logged 24 assists and 21 turnovers through UCLA's 20 games this year. Bernard has scored in double figures in eight of 20 games.
30-POINT CLUB
Sophomore Johnny Juzang scored a career-high 32 points in a 64-61 win at Washington (Feb. 13, 2021). He became UCLA's first player with at least 30 points in a game since Chris Smith (against Colorado, Jan. 30, 2020, in Pauley Pavilion). Juzang's 32-point effort at Washington marked the most points in a game by any UCLA player since Kris Wilkes had 34 points during his sophmore season in a home win over Arizona (Jan. 26, 2019). Aaron Holiday is UCLA's most recent player to have scored 30 points (or more) in multiple games in one season (2017-18, with four games of 30+ points).
LOOKING TOWARD NEXT WEEK
The Bruins are scheduled to play at Utah next Thursday (Feb. 25) and at Colorado next Saturday (Feb. 27). UCLA secured a 72-70 decision against Utah earlier this season (Dec. 31, 2020) in Pauley Pavilion. Chris Smith sustained a season-ending injury in that game, finishing with a team-leading 16 points (7-of-9 shooting from the field). Two days later, the Bruins recorded a 65-62 win over Colorado in Pauley Pavilion, improving to 3-0 in Pac-12 play. Against the Buffaloes on Jan. 2, five UCLA players scored in double figures. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the way with 14 points and totaled five rebounds.
THE BRUINS WHEN ...
Since the start of the 2016-17 season, the Bruins have gone 75-9 when leading at halftime (spanning 153 games). During that span, the UCLA has gone 22-38 when trailing at halftime (4-2 when tied at the break). UCLA's largest halftime deficit overcome in that stretch has been 16 points – UCLA trailed at home against Oregon, 44-28, on Feb. 23, 2019, and outscored the Ducks in the second half (62-39) to win, 90-83. When the Bruins have built a 10-point lead (or larger) at any point in the game, UCLA has gone 81-9. When trailing by 10 or more points in a game, UCLA has gone 15-40.
STREAKING
UCLA has made at least one 3-pointer played in its last 706 games. That 3-point streak began after the Bruins went 0-for-14 from 3-point territory in a 78-63 loss at No. 2-ranked Stanford on Feb. 3, 2000 (Maples Pavilion). UCLA has made at least three 3-pointers in 252 of 258 games since the start of the 2013-14 season. The Bruins made a school single-game-record 19 three-pointers (on 31 attempts) at Colorado on Jan. 12, 2017. UCLA won that road game, 104-89.
