UCLA Basketball: Bruins’ upside obvious in road win over Arizona
UCLA basketball earns a season split with Arizona after knocking off the Wildcats at the McKale Center.
The narrative all season long in regards to the UCLA Bruins was that if they play average to above average defense, they have as high of an upside as anyone else in the entire nation because of the consistency, balance and pace of their offensive attack.
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On Saturday at the McKale Center in Tuscon against the Arizona Wildcats, Steve Alford’s team showed their National Championship potential as they defeated Zona, 77-72, thanks to their defense and their effort on the glass.
The Bruins held the Wildcats to 72 points, making last night’s outing the seventh straight game that UCLA has limited their opponent to under 79 points. Arizona shot 51 percent from the field overall, but they only drilled 28 percent of their threes and had just three players score in double figures and only one over 20 points (Allonzo Trier, who had 28).
UCLA limited Lauri Markkanen and Dusan Ristic to 13 total points and Kobi Simmons, who scored 20 points in the two teams’ first meeting at Pauley Pavilion earlier this season, had just a single point. The Bruins switched between a zone (3-2, 2-3) and a man-to-man, which stifled the ‘Cats from the get-go.
On the glass, Arizona was completely out-rebounded and out-toughed. They lost the rebounding battle by seven but gave up 14 offensive rebounds and grabbed only four themselves. T.J. Leaf and Thomas Welsh combined to grab 15 rebounds while Bryce Alford surprisingly chipped in six and Ike Anigbogu only snagged one.
So what did this prove in regards to the Bruins? This showed that UCLA has the ability to defend at a good enough level to reach Glendale. The Bruins have been unattentive on that end of the floor for stretches of games, but it seems like when they want to turn up the energy and intensity, they have the bodies to do so.
Alford and Leaf are not the best defenders but Anigbogu and Welsh can protect the rim, Lonzo Ball has the size to guard wings and Isaac Hamilton is a solid defender in his own right. And let’s not forget UCLA brings Aaron Holiday, who is their best on-ball defender, off the bench.
When the stakes get high in the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins are likely going to come to play on the defensive end. They have proven that when the effort and intensity is there that they can compete with the best teams in the nation. Just look at this Arizona game and the second half of their win over Oregon.
And as I mentioned above, UCLA’s defense doesn’t have to be stellar. It just has to be above average. Their offense is that good. Ball (who had 11, eight and five last night) is that transcending of a player. And they have that much balance (five players in double figures on Saturday despite having an “off-night” on that end).
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This UCLA team is scary. And while it all starts with Ball, it ends with the defense.