University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
California
No. 4 UCLA to Host California This Saturday Night
February 17, 2023 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES โ The No. 4-ranked Bruins (22-4, 13-2 Pac-12) will host California (3-23, 2-13 Pac-12) this Saturday evening in a Pac-12 showdown in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. The Bruins' game this Saturday is sold out. UCLA has won five consecutive games, most recently recording a 73-64 win over Stanford on Thursday, Feb. 16. The Bruins outscored Stanford by a 20-7 margin over the game's final eight minutes to overcome a 57-53 deficit. This Saturday's matchup will be the only time in the regular season in which UCLA faces California.
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GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom
Capacity: 13,800
Tipoff Time: 7:35 p.m. (PT)
Television: Pac-12 Network
TV Talent: Ted Robinson (play-by-play), Bill Walton (analyst)
Radio Broadcast (UCLA Sports Network): AM 570
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS XM, SIRIUS XM App Channels: Ch. 135 or Ch. 197, Ch. 959
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BRUINS AT HOME
UCLA has just five regular-season games remaining โ three at home (Feb. 18 vs. Cal, March 2 vs. Arizona State, and March 4 vs. Arizona) and two games on the road. The Bruins have gone 14-0 this season at home. Next week, UCLA will play at Utah on Thursday, Feb. 23, and at Colorado on Sunday, Feb. 26. Both of those road games will be nationally televised (at Utah, on FS1; at Colorado, on CBS).
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ABOUT THE BRUINS
โ UCLA has won at least 20 games for the third consecutive season and for the eighth time in the last 12 seasons.
โ The Bruins have gone 13-2 in Pac-12 play and are 1.5 games ahead of Arizona (12-4) in the conference standings.
โ UCLA's 13-2 start through 15 Pac-12 games marks the program's best conference start since the 2007-08 season.
โ Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Pac-12 Player of the Week) averaged 16.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in UCLA's two wins last week.
โ Jaylen Clark has averaged 13.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 steals in the Bruins' last five games.
โ Sporting a 22-4 record, UCLA has recorded its best start through 26 games since the 2016-17 season (was 23-3).
โ UCLA has won 22 consecutive home games, marking the nation's longest active home winning streak.
โ UCLA has limited the opposition to fewer than 70 points in 23 of 26 total contests this season.
โ UCLA ranks No. 7, nationally, and No. 1 in the Pac-12 in fewest points allowed per game (60.0).
โ The Bruins have committed fewer turnovers than their opponent in 25 of 26 games this season.
โ UCLA has gone 14-0 in home contests this season and has posted an 8-4 record in road and neutral site games.
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THE LAST TIME OUT
โ Jaime Jaquez Jr. totaled 17 of his team-leading 26 points in the second half of UCLA's 73-64 win against Stanford.
โ UCLA closed Thursday's victory over Stanford with a 20-7 scoring run, after having trailed 57-53 at the 8:00 mark.
โ Adem Bona made 4 of 4 shots on Thursday evening, improving his overall shooting percentage to 67.2%.
โ The Bruins have won their last four consecutive contests against Stanford, going 2-0 against the Cardinal this season.
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AGAINST THE GOLDEN BEARS
โ The Bruins have compiled an all-time record of 145-103 against California in a series that began in 1921.
โ Last season, UCLA won both of its regular-season games against the Golden Bears (both games were in Jan. 2022).
โ UCLA has won its last 10 consecutive meetings against California, a streak the began on Jan. 5, 2017.
โ California has not won in Pauley Pavilion since Feb. 6, 2010 (the Bruins lost at home in the L.A. Sports Arena in 2012).
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ALL-AMERICA CANDIDATE
โ Senior Jaime Jaquez Jr. (16.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg) is one of five Pac-12 players to rank among the league's top 10 leaders in both scoring and rebounding ... Jaquez Jr. has scored at least 10 points in 23 of the team's 26 games.
โ Jaquez Jr. has scored at least 10 points or totaled 10 rebounds in a game in 25 of 26 contests ... he has tallied six double-doubles this season ... he has averaged 19.4 points and 11.6 rebounds in UCLA's last five contests.
โ Jaquez Jr. ranks No. 19 on UCLA's career scoring list and No. 18 in total rebounds ... last Saturday at Oregon, he moved into the No. 20 mark, becoming the 10th UCLA player to rank among the school's top 20 in scoring and rebounding.
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RUNNING THE POINT
Led by point guard Tyger Campbell (12.4 ppg, 4.8 apg), the Bruins have registered an assist-turnover ratio of 1.4-to-1, which ranked No. 23 in the nation through Thursday, Feb. 16. Campbell's assist-turnover ratio (2.58) ranks No. 39 in the nation and No. 3 in the Pac-12. The Bruins have committed fewer turnovers than their opponent in 25 of 26 games this season. Through Thursday's contests, UCLA ranked No. 2 in the nation in turnover margin (+6.2 per game), the best turnover margin among any Pac-12 program (Arizona State was second in the Pac-12 with +2.1 turnovers per game).
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PROGRAM'S BEST STARTS
UCLA's 22-4 start through 26 games stands as one of the program's best starts to a college basketball season over the past 40 years. The Bruins opened their 2016-17 campaign with 23 wins in 26 games and concluded the regular-season schedule with a 28-3 record (heading into the Pac-12 Tournament). The Bruins also went 23-3 to open the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, a pair of campaigns that ended with trips to the NCAA Final Four. UCLA's 14-game winning streak earlier this season marked the Bruins' longest such streak since winning 14 in a row near the end of the 2007-08 season.
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20-WIN PLATEAU
UCLA has won at least 20 games in 54 seasons, having notched win No. 20 at Oregon State on Thursday, Feb. 9. The Bruins' program has won at least 20 contests in 46 of the past 57 seasons (1967 through 2023). UCLA won at least 20 games in 17 consecutive seasons from 1966-67 through 1982-83. The Bruins have registered at least 20 victories in each of the last three seasons (22 in 2020-21, 27 last season and 20 this season). UCLA has not won 20 games in three consecutive seasons since the 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 campaigns.
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โ Coach Cronin has been named as one of 15 head coaches to the late season watch list for the Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year Award. In his 20th year as a head coach, Cronin has guided his teams to at least 20 victories in 14 seasons (includes at least 20 wins in 12 of the past 13 seasons).
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GLANCING AT THE METRICS
UCLA has been ranked No. 3 in the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings (KenPom.com), trailing (1) Houston and (2) Tennessee. Through Thursday's games (Feb. 16), the Bruins had the No. 24-ranked adjusted offensive efficiency rating and the No. 2-ranked adjusted defensive efficiency ranking. Ranked No. 4 in this week's AP poll and USA Today Sports Coaches poll, UCLA has been ranked in each of the last 34 AP polls (since the start of the 2021-22 season).
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ELITE COMPANY
Senior Jaime Jaquez Jr. was named as one of 20 top players in the nation to the John R. Wooden Award late season watch list in early February. Jaquez Jr. ranks No.ย 3 in the conference in scoring (16.7 ppg) and No. 4 in rebounding (8.1 rpg). He ranks No. 19 on the Bruins' all-time scoring list and No. 18 on UCLA's all-time rebounds list (748 rebounds). He is one of 10 UCLA players to rank among the school's top 20 lists in career scoring and rebounding. Jaquez Jr. has totaled six double-doubles this season and 15 double-doubles in his four-year UCLA career (123 games, 115 starts).
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JAQUEZ JR. AND DAVID GREENWOOD
Since the NCAA (and UCLA) began to record the "block" and "steal" statistic at the start of the 1978-79 season, the only UCLA players to tally at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in one game have been Jaime Jaquez Jr. and David Greenwood. Jaquez Jr. had 23 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and four steals in a home victory against Colorado on Saturday, Jan. 14. Greenwood is UCLA's only other player on record, to have come close to that. He registered 22 points, 18 rebounds, four blocks and three steals in UCLA's 85-83 home win versus Arizona State on Feb. 15, 1979.
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TOP POINT GUARD
Senior Tyger Campbell has been listed as one of 10 players to the midseason watch list for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Campbell (12.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.8 apg) was one of the award's five finalists last season. The 5-foot-11 guard from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, ranks No. 3 in the Pac-12 in assist-turnover ratio (2.58) and No. 4 in assists per game (4.8). He has become one of eight UCLA players to have logged at least 1,000 career points and 500 career assists in the Bruins' uniform. The assist statistic has been regularly tracked at UCLA since the start of the 1973-74 season.
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OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS
Not only do the Bruins rank No. 1 among all Pac-12 schools in offensive rebounds per game (12.0), but UCLA also leads the conference in having taken far more shots than shot attempts against (net difference of 211 more attempts). No other Pac-12 program has taken at least 100 more shots than they have attempted. Through Thursday, Feb. 16, the Bruins ranked No. 39, nationally, in offensive rebounds per game (12.0 o-rpg). The Bruins have taken more shot attempts than their opponent in each of the past three seasons (2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, all under Coach Cronin).
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ROAD WARRIORS
The Bruins have gone 8-4 in 12 road and neutral site contests this season. In addition to a 74-49 double-digit win at Washington on New Year's Day (Sunday, Jan. 1), the Bruins also notched an 87-60 victory at Maryland on Dec. 14. Against Maryland, UCLA led 39-11 with 3:30 remaining before halftime. Last season, the Bruins had substantial road victories with a 67-56 win at Marquette in Dec. 2021 (UCLA led at halftime, 35-21) and at Oregon State in March 2022 (UCLA won, 94-55). Playing at Stanford earlier this season (Dec. 1, 2022), UCLA raced to a 17-0 lead and won the game, 80-66.
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โ Last season, UCLA went 13-7 in road/neutral site games. Since the start of the Bruins' 2021-22 season, UCLA has compiled a 21-11 record in 32 games played away from home.
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JAYLEN THE SPARK PLUG
Junior Jaylen Clark has registered career-high averages across the board during his junior season โ 13.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg and a Pac-12-best 68 steals (averaging 2.72 steals per game). The 6-foot-5 guard from Riverside, Calif., was named as one of 15 players to the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year watch list late January. Clark scored a season-high 24 points in a win against Denver (Dec. 10, 2022). He totaled 15 points and five rebounds in a 60-58 win against USC (Jan. 5, 2023). Clark sank the go-ahead 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in that win versus the Trojans.
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UCLA'S ROSTER CONSTRUCTION
The Bruins returned five of their primary 11 contributors from last year's team. UCLA went 27-8 overall last season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. Key returners include seniors Tyger Campbell, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kenneth Nwuba and David Singleton and junior Jaylen Clark. Each of those student-athletes played in at least 20 games in 2021-22. All five competed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament (the First Four to the Final Four). UCLA also has returned two redshirt freshmen in forward Mac Etienne and guard Will McClendon, who both missed last season with knee injuries (torn ACL).
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PRECISION FROM 3-POINT RANGE
Fifth-year senior guard David Singleton has averaged career highs this season in scoring (10.0 ppg) and rebounding (3.0 rpg). He currently ranks No. 2 in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting percentage (43.7%, connecting on 55 of 126 attempts). His career 3-point percentage (43.8%) ranks No. 4 among all UCLA players in program history. Singleton ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 last season in 3-point shooting percentage (45.1%) and as a true freshman in 2018-19 (46.7%). He has now made at least 34 attempts from 3-point distance in each of his five seasons on the court at UCLA.
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THREE-POINT STREAK
UCLA has made at least one 3-pointer in its last 779 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 322 of 331 games since the start of the 2013-14 season. The Bruins made a school single-game-record 19 three-pointers, on 31 attempts, in a 104-89 win at Colorado on Jan. 12, 2017. UCLA's previous 3-point record was set earlier that season, as the Bruins made 18 of 30 attempts in the regular-season opener against Pacific (Nov. 11, 2016).
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POSTSEASON SUCCESS
UCLA has compiled a 7-2 NCAA Tournament record over the past two seasons. The Bruins went 5-1 in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, advancing from the First Four to the Final Four. There was no NCAA Tournament in March of 2020 (COVID-19). UCLA is one of six teams to have advanced to the Sweet 16 or farther in 2021 and 2022 (other five schools are Arkansas, Gonzaga, Houston, Michigan and Villanova). No school advanced to the Final Four in both 2021 and 2022. Only Arkansas and Houston moved on to the Elite Eight in 2021 and 2022. Gonzaga, Houston and Michigan are the only programs to have advanced to the Sweet 16 or farther in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
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NOTES ON PAULEY PAVILION
This marks the 57th basketball season in which UCLA has played in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. The Bruins' home arena opened in time for the 1965-66 season. The first game in Pauley Pavilion took place on Dec. 3, 1965, as the No. 1-ranked Bruins defeated Ohio State, 92-66. UCLA spent 47 consecutive seasons in Pauley Pavilion before the venue was closed for an 18-month renovation. The Bruins played 18 home games in 2011-12 at two venues in Southern California (14 games at the Los Angeles Sports Arena and four games at the Honda Center in Anaheim).
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โ UCLA has gone 14-0 at home this season and went 14-1 in 15 home games last year. The Bruins won their final eight home games last season and have strung together a streak of 22 consecutive home victories. UCLA has won its last 22 home games, which is the longest home winning streak in the nation (Auburn's 28-game streak was recently snapped). UCLA's only loss at home last season was an overtime defeat (84-81) to Oregon on Jan. 13, 2022. Since taking over as the Bruins' head coach in 2019, Mick Cronin has led the Bruins to a 52-6 record in 58 home games.
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โ With the COVID-19 pandemic prompting teams to close their arenas to fans, none of UCLA's home games in 2020-21 were played in front of a crowd. Likewise, three of UCLA's games in January of 2022 were played before no fans (arena was limited to players' family members only). Including a seven-game home win streak to close the 2019-20 home schedule, UCLA has won its last 33 home contests with fans in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.
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โ Through 14 home games this season, the Bruins have averaged 77.4 points per game and have limited the opposition to 57.1 points per game. UCLA has won its 14 home contests by an average margin of 20.3 points per game. UCLA's most narrow victory in those 14 contests took place against USC โ the Bruins won, 60-58, on Thursday, Jan. 5. The Bruins largest margin of victory at home this season occurred against Pepperdine โ UCLA won, 100-53, on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Only four of the Bruins' 14 home wins have been by nine or fewer points (vs. Oregon, Stanford, USC and Washington).
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HISTORY & TRADITION
The 2022-23 school year marks the 104th season in which UCLA has fielded a men's basketball team (first season was 1919-20). In all, the men's basketball program has won a nation-leading 11 NCAA Championships and has advanced to the NCAA Final Four 19 times. As an athletics department, UCLA has won 120 team NCAA titles. That total ranks second in the nation behind Stanford (131). Most recently, the UCLA women's soccer team captured its second NCAA title by defeating North Carolina, 3-2, in double overtime in the 2022 NCAA Championship (played at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.).
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UCLA IN PAC-12 PLAY
Since the start of the 2020-21 season, UCLA has compiled a 41-11 mark in the Pac-12 (13-6 in 2020-21, and 15-5 last season). The Bruins have won 31 of their last 33 home games in Pac-12 action. UCLA dropped a game at home to USC in March of 2021 and in overtime against Oregon last season on Jan. 13, 2022. The Bruins won their final seven home Pac-12 games in 2019-20, during Coach Cronin's first year as UCLA's head coach.
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