UCLA
Northwestern
Men's Basketball to Play at Northwestern on Monday Night
March 02, 2025 | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. โ The Bruins will return to the court at Northwestern on Monday evening. Game time at Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena is set for 6 p.m. PT (8 p.m. CT in Illinois). Monday night's game marks the Bruins' final road contest in the regular-season schedule. UCLA will return home after Monday's game and will host crosstown rival USC inside Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom on Saturday, March 8.
ย
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Welsh-Ryan Arena
ย Capacity: 7,039
Tipoff Time: 6:01 p.m. PT (8:01 p.m. CT)
Television: FS1
TV Talent: Connor Onion (play-by-play), Stephen Bardo (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Audio Network): AM 570
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS XM: Channel 381 and on the SXM App
ย
UCLA'S TICKET INFORMATION (AT HOME)
Single-game tickets are on sale for the Bruins' last home game, UCLA will host crosstown rival USC on Saturday, March 8, at 5 p.m. (PT). Ticket information about UCLA men's basketball is available here. Direct links to single-game ticket purchases can be viewed here. Fans can call (310) 206-5991 or email tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for more information.
ย
CATCHING UP ON THE BRUINS
โ The Bruins have gone 14-2 at home this season and 6-7 in road and neutral-site contests.
โ After losing four straight games in early January, UCLA has won nine of its last 12 contests.
โ UCLA has gone 7-3 this season in games decided by five points or fewer.
โ The Bruins lead the Big Ten Conference in steals per game (8.2) and rank No. 48 in the nation in that category.
โ This marks the 106th basketball season at UCLA and the sixth year with head coach Mick Cronin at the helm.
โ UCLA head coach Mick Cronin secured career coaching win No. 500 in a win over Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 23.
โ The Bruins went 5-1 in December and registered a 9-7 record through the months of January and February.
โ The Bruins have gone 61-3 since the start of the 2019-20 season when holding the opposition to fewer than 60 points.
โ This season, UCLA has tallied a 13-1 record when limiting the opposition to 65 or fewer points.
โ Junior Tyler Bilodeau has averaged 13.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 28 games, shooting 50.2 percent from the field.
โ Through games played on Saturday, March 1, UCLA ranked No. 21 in the nation in scoring defense (65.0 ppg).
โ Through Saturday, March 1, UCLA ranked No. 15 in the nation in turnovers forced per game (15.38).
โ Through Saturday, March 1, the Bruins were No. 7, nationally, in turnover margin (+4.7).
โ UCLA has limited the opposition to 65 points or fewer in 14 of 29 games this season.
โ Kobe Johnson (50 steals, 1.72 spg) ranked sixth in the Big Ten in steals per game through Saturday, March 1.
โ UCLA's program added nine incoming players this season โ six transfer students and three freshmen.
โ As head coach, Mick Cronin has led UCLA to an 135-62 record, now in his sixth season with the Bruins.
ย
ENTERING THE FINAL STRETCH
The Bruins have just two regular-season games remaining โ at Northwestern on Monday, and at home versus USC on Saturday. UCLA has recorded a 5-1 all-time record against Northwestern. The most recent games took place at the 2023 NCAA Tournament (Round of 32), with UCLA securing a 68-63 win in Sacramento, and during the 2013-14 season at an early-season tournament in Las Vegas (UCLA won that game, 95-79). Prior to those contests, UCLA and Northwestern's only matchups took place during John Wooden's tenure as the UCLA head coach (games in 1948, 1949, 1962 and 1969).
ย
THE PAST WEEK
UCLA defeated Ohio State, 69-61, inside Pauley Pavilion on Sunday, Feb. 23, before dropping a 76-66 decision at No. 20 Purdue on Friday evening. The Bruins have gone 20-9 through 29 contests during the regular-season schedule. UCLA reduced a 10-point first-half deficit at Purdue to just two points (at 37-35) by halftime. The Bruins took the lead at multiple moments in the second half and secured a 56-55 advantage with under nine minutes to play. Purdue closed the game by outscoring UCLA, 21-10, from that point. Tyler Bilodeau led UCLA with 15 points and Sebastian Mack added 10 points.
ย
LAST FIVE CONTESTS
The Bruins have dropped three of their last five games, as two players have averaged at least 10 points per game during that five-game stretch (Tyler Bilodeau with 14.4 ppg, and Sebastian Mack with 10.0 ppg). Bilodeau has shot 50.0 percent from the field in UCLA's last five games (25-for-50), while knocking down 9 of 16 shots from 3-point range (56.3%). Skyy Clark has shot 46.4 percent from the field in the last five games and has made 8 of 17 attempts from 3-point range (47.1%). Dylan Andrews has registered 23 assists and seven turnovers in the five-game stretch (ratio of 3.3-to-1).
ย
NOTES ON THE SEASON
โ The Bruins rank No. 4 in the Big Ten Conference in assist-turnover ratio (1.49) and No. 5 in the league in assists per game (16.0), through games played on Saturday, March 3. UCLA has twice tallied a team-best 26 assists this season.
โ UCLA has shot 45.8 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range in the last five games (going 3-2 over that 10-game stretch). Through the past five contests, Tyler Bilodeau has shot 9-for-16 from 3-point distance (56.3%).
โ Now sporting a 20-9 record, the Bruins have reached the 20-win plateau in a single season for the 47th time in 59 years (span includes 1966-67 through 2024-25). Coach Cronin has guided UCLA to 20 or more wins in four of the last five years.
โ UCLA has committed fewer turnovers than the opposition in 24 of 29 games this season. The Bruins had a season-low three turnovers in back-to-back contests early in February (versus Michigan State and Penn State, both games at home).
โ UCLA's 26-point win over Oregon on Jan. 30 marked the Bruins' largest victory margin in any conference game since a 35-point victory at home against California on Feb. 18, 2023 (UCLA won against California, 78-43).
โ The Bruins held Oregon to a season-low 52 points in UCLA's 78-52 win inside Pauley Pavilion on Thursday, Jan. 30. Previously, Oregon had scored 58 points in a 65-58 loss at Purdue on Jan. 18, 2025.
โ UCLA limited Gonzaga to a season-low 62 points in the Bruins' 65-62 win at Intuit Dome (Inglewood, Calif.) on Saturday, Dec. 28. Gonzaga has averaged 87.6 points per game, the second-highest scoring average in the nation (through March 1).
ย
MILESTONE UNLOCKED
Bruins' head coach Mick Cronin secured career coaching win No. 500 on Sunday, Feb. 23, as UCLA defeated Ohio State, 69-61. Cronin has gone 500-233, now in his 22nd season as a head coach. He secured his 400th win in UCLA's home victory over Arizona State on Feb. 20, 2021. Cronin is one of 18 active head coaches to have secured at least 500 career NCAA Division I victories. He is currently the youngest college basketball head coach (53) with at least 500 career wins. He spent his first three seasons as a head coach at Murray State before taking over as Cincinnati's head coach for the 2006-07 season. After a 13-year run as Cincinnati's head coach (through 2018-19), he became UCLA's head coach in April of 2019.
ย
ON DECK FOR UCLA
The Bruins have just two regular-season games remaining, including this Monday night's game at Northwestern. UCLA is set to play at Northwestern on Monday before closing the regular-season schedule at home against USC on Saturday, March 8. The Bruins have gone 5-1 all-time versus Northwestern, having last faced the Wildcats in the 2023 NCAA Tournament's Round of 32 (UCLA won, 68-63). Earlier this season (Jan. 27), UCLA registered an 82-76 win at USC. Following the upcoming game versus USC, UCLA will play in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis (March 12-16).
ย
HANG TEN
UCLA has won at least 10 conference games for the sixth straight season. Previously as members of the Pac-12, and now competing in the Big Ten, UCLA has won 10 or more league games in 18 of the last 21 seasons (including this season). Two years ago, UCLA went 18-2 en route to securing the Pac-12 Conference's regular-season title. The Bruins have three regular-season games to play, all in Big Ten action, with two of those at home and two scheduled on the road.
ย
ASSISTS ALL AROUND
UCLA has three guards who have each tallied at least 70 assists. Dylan Andrews and Kobe Johnson have each tallied a team-best 87 assists, while Skyy Clark has tallied 74. Sebastian Mack ranks fourth on the list with 54. UCLA's 2016-17 squad was the last Bruins' team to have at least three players with 70 or more assists. That team's five leading scorers each finished with 70 or more assists. Lonzo Ball set a school single-season record in assists (274), while Aaron Holiday totaled 158. Rounding out the list of assist leaders were Isaac Hamilton (99), Bryce Alford (92) and TJ Leaf (85).
ย
TALENTED TYLER
Junior Tyler Bilodeau became UCLA's first player to have made seven (or more) threes in any game since late last season when he was 7-for-12 from long-range at Illinois on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Last year, Dylan Andrews shot 7-for-9 from 3-point distance in a win over Oregon State at the Pac-12 Tournament (March 13, 2024). Bilodeau, a 6-foot-9 forward from Kennewick, Wash., has averaged a team-leading 13.9 points per game. Bilodeau has shot 50.2 percent overall and 43.6 percent from 3-point distance (34-of-78). In a 76-74 loss to North Carolina on Dec. 21, 2024, he totaled a career-high-tying 26 points at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He was 5-for-6 from 3-point distance in that contest.
ย
TOP DEFENDER
Senior guard Kobe Johnson has totaled 206 steals in 120 career games (1.7 spg). He enters this Monday night's game with a team-best 50 steals, while teammate Skyy Clark is second on the team with 37 steals (1.27 spg). Johnson ranked sixth among all Big Ten players through Saturday, March 1, in steals per game. Johnson had six steals in a win over Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 22, 2024), the third time in his career he has logged six in a game. Hailing from Milwaukee, Wis., Johnson earned Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors the past two seasons at USC. Over the previous two seasons (64 games), he averaged 10.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.2 steals per contest while at USC.
ย
SKYY'S THE LIMIT
Junior guard Skyy Clark has tallied a team-best assist-turnover ratio of 2.4 (with 74 assists, 31 turnovers). Clark joined the Bruins' program in the summer of 2024 after having averaged a team-leading 13.2 points per game as a sophomore at Louisville last season. He has logged the Bruins' third-highest assist total (74), behind Dylan Andrews and Kobe Johnson (87 assists, each). Clark scored a team-leading 14 points, sinking six of seven free throws, in UCLA's 63-61 win at home last month versus No. 9-ranked Michigan State. He has shot 43.2 percent from 3-point range in the Bruins' past 10 games (16-for-37) and 47.5 percent overall during that range. He has scored 10 or more points in nine games this year.
ย
STANDING TALL
Sophomore Aday Mara, who stands at 7-foot-3, averaged 12.0 points in a three-game stretch in late January, including a career-best 22-point game in an 85-83 win at home against Wisconsin (Jan. 21, 2025). Mara ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten in blocks per game (1.43) through games played Saturday, March 1. He has totaled 21 blocks in the past 10 games (2.1 bpg), dating back to the Bruins' road win at Washington. In addition, Mara has registered 13 assists and seven turnovers in UCLA's last 15 games (through 212 minutes). Through the Bruins' entire season, Mara has shot 58.6 percent from the field.
ย
NATIONAL NUMBERS
Through games played on Saturday, March 1, the Bruins ranked No. 21 in the country in scoring defense (65.0 ppg), No. 15 in turnovers forced per game (15.4) and No. 7 in turnover margin (+4.7). In addition, the Bruins have ranked No. 39 in the nation in scoring margin (9.4 points per game). Looking at shooting percentages, the opposition has shot 42.6 percent against UCLA (No. 110, nationally) and 31.8 percent from 3-point range (No. 78, nationally). The latest national metrics on KenPom.com have listed UCLA at No. 21 in the nation in defensive efficiency and No. 41 in offensive efficiency.
ย
NOTES ON PAULEY PAVILION
The Bruins have gone 14-2 in Pauley Pavilion this season, now in their 59th campaign playing in the longtime venue. The first game in Pauley took place on Dec. 3, 1965, as No. 1 UCLA defeated Ohio State, 92-66. UCLA spent 47 seasons in Pauley Pavilion before the venue was closed for an 18-month renovation (closed in March of 2011). UCLA hosted 18 home games in 2011-12 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena (14 games) near downtown L.A. and at the Honda Center in Anaheim (four games). UCLA returned home in Nov. 2012. This marks the 13th year in the arena's updated configuration.
ย
Last year, CSUN snapped UCLA's 29-home-game winning streak with a 76-72 win over the Bruins (Dec. 19, 2023). Prior to that game, UCLA had not lost at home since an overtime setback (84-81) to Oregon on Jan. 13, 2022. UCLA's 29-game home streak had been the longest active streak in the country. Since taking over as UCLA's head coach prior to the 2019-20 season, Mick Cronin has guided the Bruins to a 78-15 record in 93 home games (83.9% win percentage).
ย
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON UCLA
โ UCLA's assist-turnover ratio (1.5-to-1) ranked No. 31 in the nation, and fourth in the Big Ten, through games played on Saturday, March 1. The Bruins have registered a ratio of 1.78-to-1 over the past 10 games (158 assists, 89 turnovers).
โ UCLA recorded a season-high 15 steals in a win over Southern Utah (Nov. 26, 2024). Since steals were officially tracked (starting in 1978-79), the Bruins' single-game record stands at 21 steals against Northern Arizona on Dec. 18, 1997.
โ Since the start of the 2020-21 season, the Bruins went 56-23 in Pac-12 play (logging a 70.9 win percentage). UCLA went 10-10 in Pac-12 play in 2023-24 after having won the league title (18-2 record) during the 2022-23 season.
โ Sophomore Aday Mara (7-foot-3) is the Bruins' tallest basketball player since the late Mike Lanier (7-foot-7, 310 pounds) competed as a reserve center for UCLA in 1991-92 and 1992-93.
ย
MINUTES DISTRIBUTION
With just two regular-season games left (through 29 total games), no players on UCLA's roster have averaged more than 29 minutes per game. Senior Kobe Johnson leads the team in minutes (averaging 28.9 mpg). Since UCLA began recording minutes in 1978-79, the Bruins have always had at least one player average 30.0 or more minutes per game (by the end of the year). In 2019-20, then-freshman guard Tyger Campbell finished the year as the Bruins' leader in minutes per game, at exactly 30.0 mpg. This year's team has 10 players who have averaged at least 10.0 minutes per contest.
ย
CONSECUTIVE THREE-POINTERS
UCLA has made at least one 3-pointer in each of its last 59 games. The Bruins went 0-for-6 from long range in a 78-58 win against Long Island University early last season in Pauley Pavilion (on Nov. 15, 2023). That game snapped a streak of 792 consecutive contests with at least one made 3-pointer by UCLA. That 3-point streak began after the Bruins finished 0-for-14 from 3-point distance in a home loss to No. 2 Stanford (78-63) on Feb. 3, 2000. The Bruins' single-game 3-point record stands at 19 made 3-pointers (going 19-for-31) in an 104-89 win at Colorado on Jan. 12, 2017.
ย
ROAD WARRIORS
Since the start of the 2021-22 season, UCLA has compiled a 40-30 record in 70 games played away from home (57.1 win percentage). Over the previous two seasons, UCLA went 21-16 in games played away from home (14-6 in 2022-23, 7-10 in 2023-24). Earlier this season, the Bruins earned a 73-71 win at No. 12 Oregon on Dec. 8. That marked UCLA's first win on the road against a top-20-ranked program since an 87-60 win at No. 20-ranked Maryland on Dec. 14, 2022.
ย
TURNOVER MARGIN
Through Saturday, March 1, the Bruins ranked No. 7 in the nation in turnover margin (+4.7), having committed 310 turnovers and forced 446 turnovers by the opposition. Looking back at recent seasons, the Bruins ranked No. 2 nationally at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season in turnover margin (+5.6). UCLA's 2021-22 squad finished at No. 11 nationally in turnover margin (+4.2). This year's team leads the Big Ten and ranks No. 15 nationwide in turnovers forced per game (15.4). The Bruins forced a season-high 30 turnovers in a victory against Southern Utah back on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
ย
THREE TURNOVERS TOTAL
Until one month ago, UCLA had never had back-to-back games with three turnovers (or fewer) since the start of the 1976-77 season โ when the Bruins' basketball box scores consistently tracked the turnover statistic. In fact, only twice since the fall of 1976 has a UCLA team had consecutive games with five or fewer turnovers โ most recently, UCLA had three against Michigan State (Feb. 4) and three against Penn State (Feb. 8). Last season, the Bruins had back-to-back contests with just five turnovers in each game (on Feb. 15, and on Feb. 18).
ย
ONE THOUSAND POINTS
Senior Lazar Stefanovic and junior Tyler Bilodeau have both crossed the 1,000-career-point plateau in UCLA wins this season (Stefanovic versus Prairie View A&M in December, and Bilodeau against Penn State on Feb. 8). Stefanovic scored 562 points in his first two seasons (at Utah) and has totaled 522 points as a junior and senior at UCLA. Junior Tyler Bilodeau scored 11 points on Saturday, Feb. 8, to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He had scored 683 points in his first two seasons at Oregon State. Tyger Campbell (from 2019-20 to 2022-23) became the last player to have scored at least 1,000 career points, all at UCLA. Campbell crossed the 1,000-point milestone as a senior with the Bruins in 2022-23.
ย
