UCLA Basketball: 3 keys for Bruins to knock off No. 20 Ohio State Buckeyes
3. The Buckeyes rank among the worst in 3PT defense – while the Bruins excel from beyond the arc
Success for UCLA in this game should also come from the three-point line, where at least 27.4% of their point distribution comes from. That is not necessarily the best mark, ranking 221st in Div. I – but what makes the three-bomb so valuable for the Bruins is how poor Ohio State’s three-point defense is.
The Buckeyes allow teams to shoot 38.5% from beyond the arc, which ranks 267th in college basketball. Teams are making at least eight threes a game against them – their 8.3 average is 244th. The three-ball is a key reason as to why Notre Dame and Cleveland State hung with them – they drained 11 and six, respectively. Purdue, meanwhile, also knocked down six, matching Ohio State’s output.
That mark will create issues for them, especially against the Bruins. UCLA thrives from beyond the arc, knocking down a 102nd-best 35.5% of their three-pointers – over 2% better than the national average. The Bruins do not make a lot of threes per game – just 7.2 – but making long-range shots will be key if UCLA hopes to win this game.
The Bruins do not necessarily have a premier or designated three-point shooter. Instead, they have a few players who are all capable of draining shots from beyond the arc – notably, Jaquez Jr. (11-24, 45.8%), Chris Smith (8-17, 47.1%), and David Singleton (10-23, 43.5%).
UCLA is much more productive from inside, where 51.4% of their point distribution comes from – but this is a tilt where they can rely on the three-ball more. That might be necessary, too – Ohio State maintains the 30th-best 2P% defense, holding teams to 41.9% on two-pointers. For context, UCLA shoots 53.5% from inside.
Next. 8 biggest takeaways from the past week. dark
Essentially, the keys to UCLA’s victory in the CBS Sports Classic comes down to dominating in all aspects of scoring – inside, outside, and at the line. With Liddell out, the Bruins are in an easy position to accomplish that, particularly now at full strength. This is an Ohio State squad looking for its identity with Liddell out on a day-by-day basis – and this is a UCLA team that now looks like the same group that went on a dominant win-streak last season.