UCLA at Arizona State: Game preview, TV schedule, prediction
UCLA and Arizona State are trending in opposite directions, but find themselves in a similar spot in terms of projected NCAA Tournament seed. Who will win this crucial game?
TV Listing: Saturday February 10, Pac-12 Network 7:00 PM ET
Arena: Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe, Arizona
UCLA was relegated to the First Four Out on most projected brackets, but a win at Arizona likely changes the perception of the Bruins. Even though Arizona is not as strong as most people thought in the preseason, they are still the favorites to win the conference and have one of the best homecourt advantages in the country.
Earning a win in the McKale Center is no easy feat and bolsters a UCLA resume that was in desperate need of a quality road win. Coming into the game against Arizona, UCLA’s best (and only) road win was against Cal, the Pac-12’s least talented team. Now the Bruins have turned that glaring weakness into an advantage when being compared to comparable bubble teams.
Arizona State also has an eye-catching road win on their resume from when they knocked off Kansas early in the season. The Sun Devils also knocked Xavier (a top 5 team) and were unanimously considered elite as they earned a top three ranking in the AP Poll. They were undefeated entering conference play, but have since fallen back to Earth with a 6-6 record.
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However, Arizona State earned a critical win over fellow bubble team USC in their most recent game which is their best win since mid-December. Shannon Evans hit a three pointer to tie the game with under a minutes left. Tra Holder then banked in a game winning floater with just over one second on the clock.
Holder and Evans form one of the most dynamic scoring backcourts in all of college basketball as both can finish at the rim and hit perimeter jump shots. They are the catalyst behind Arizona State’s dangerous offense, but senior Kodi Justice and freshman Remy Martin are also key contributors.
Romello White, Arizona State’s freshman center, has been a major surprise this season with his high-level interior scoring and rebounding. He will have a tough defensive assignment against UCLA’s skilled center Thomas Welsh. Welsh is known for his prolific mid range game, but has extended his range beyond the three-point arc which makes him even more threatening.
Expect UCLA to return to their small lineup with Kris Wilkes at the PF and GG Golomon coming off the bench. Golomon had an outstanding performance in the upset win over Arizona, but would likely struggle defensively at PF against the smaller and quicker Sun Devils. Wilkes is flying a bit under the radar, but is one of the best freshmen in the country. At 6’8’’ he has great size for a wing and his scoring ability and positional versatility really stands out.
UCLA’s best player, Aaron Holiday, is criminally underrated as his impressive junior campaign has barely registered nationally. Holiday earned significant praise for his role as a sixth man and offensive spark plug last season, but is hardly discussed as one of the best guards in the country. His 19.2ppg and 5.4apg averages show that he is playing at an extremely high level.
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This battle between explosive backcourts makes this matchup must see TV, but the outcome of the game also has significant stakes. Look for Kris Wilkes to have a huge game as the small ball PF for UCLA. This is a favorable matchup based on his size and athleticism, so it would not be a surprise to see him score 20 points or more. Both teams have strong offenses and poor defenses, but UCLA’s recent surge leads me to believe that they will win their second straight road game.
Prediction: UCLA 84 Arizona State 80