University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Men's Basketball Attends Big Ten Media Day in Chicago
October 03, 2024 | Men's Basketball
ROSEMONT, Ill. – UCLA senior Kobe Johnson and junior Dylan Andrews served as the men's basketball program's student-athlete representatives at Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Day on Thursday, hosted at DES Convention in Rosemont, Ill., directly adjacent to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
Johnson and Andrews were joined by Mick Cronin, who enters his sixth year as The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. The Bruins' duo of Johnson and Andrews, along with Coach Cronin, participated in various interviews with members of print, broadcast and online media, in addition to taping multiple videos to be used during the basketball season by the conference's national broadcast partners (Big Ten coaches' panel video, Coach Cronin at the 29:30 mark).
Thursday's day-long event in Chicago marked the Bruins' first time participating in the Big Ten's annual men's basketball media day, as UCLA (along with Oregon, Washington and USC) have joined the 18-team Big Ten Conference. The Bruins will play a 20-game Big Ten schedule, starting with two early-season games against Washington (Dec. 3 in Los Angeles) and Oregon (Dec. 8 in Eugene, Ore.). The remaining 18 games in the league schedule will begin after the New Year.
UCLA compiled a 16-17 record last season and a 10-10 mark in Pac-12 play, finishing in fifth place in the conference standings. The Bruins have returned six of their primary contributors from last season and added nine incoming players in the offseason (three freshmen and six transfer students).
"When you take the job at UCLA, you have to try to go in knowing that you're trying to compete for national championships," Coach Cronin said in his opening remarks on Thursday (transcript of quotes available here). "You have to embrace the expectations. I ran towards that. I continue to do so. It is the honor of my lifetime to have been the coach at my alma mater at Cincinnati, and now at the most storied program ever at UCLA. That is just the reality that we are in at UCLA."
Coach Cronin's opening remarks took place on the main podium at the Big Ten's media session, as part of a panel featuring three Big Ten head coaches – Rutgers' Steve Pikiell and Maryland's Kevin Willard, in addition to Coach Cronin.
Johnson, a 6-foot-6 guard from Milwaukee, Wis., joined the Bruins' program over the summer as an incoming senior. He spent the past three seasons at the University of Southern California (USC), where he averaged 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game in 2023-24. Johnson was recognized each of the past two seasons on the Pac-12 Conference's five-man All-Defensive Team.
Andrews, a 6-foot-2 guard from Gardena, Calif., finished his sophomore season as the Bruins' leading scorer (12.9 ppg), also tallying 2.2 rebounds per game and a team-leading 3.7 assists per contest. He averaged 35.2 minutes per game, which ranked third among all Pac-12 players in 2023-24. Andrews ranked No. 5 in the Pac-12 in assists per game (3.7) and was No. 6 in the league in assist-turnover ratio (1.92). He scored in double figures in 20 games, totaling at least 20 points in five contests.
UCLA returns to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom for an exhibition game against Cal State Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 30. That exhibition game time has not been determined.
The Bruins' regular-season schedule will begin against Rider University the night of Monday, Nov. 4, in Pauley Pavilion. Game times for the regular season have not been finalized.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN
The Big Ten Conference has unveiled its preseason all-league team earlier in the week, with Purdue junior guard Braden Smith securing the conference's preseason player of the year honors (as selected by a media panel).
Ten of the Big Ten's 18 teams are represented on the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. Purdue's Braden Smith is joined by Indiana's Oumar Ballo, Iowa's Payton Sandfort, Minnesota's Dawson Garcia, Ohio State's Bruce Thornton, Northwestern's Brooks Barnhizer, Oregon's Jackson Shelstad, Penn State's Ace Baldwin Jr., Rutgers' Dylan Harper, and Washington's Great Osobor.
Six members of the 2024-25 Preseason All-Big Ten Team earned All-Big Ten honors last season. The league's coaches named Smith to the First Team, while Baldwin, Barnhizer, Garcia, and Sandfort earned Third Team honors. Thornton was recognized as an honorable mention.
UCLA'S TICKET INFORMATION
Season ticket packages for UCLA's upcoming men's basketball season are now available. Fans can call (310) 206-5991 or email tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for more information. Single-game tickets for the team's non-conference home games will be available later this fall. For more information about tickets, call UCLA Athletic Sales & Service at (310) 206-5991 or via email at tickets@athletics.ucla.edu.
