No. 20 UCLA Bruins
To say coach Steve Alford is dealing with a young team would be a vast understatement. To some, the Bruins’ sixth-year coach is facing a fair amount of pressure to perform in Westwood after losing in the First Four at the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Injuries to forwards Shareef O’Neal (heart surgery – out for season) and Cody Riley (jaw) as well as guard Tyger Campbell (knee – out for season) thinned the depth chart and forced more freshmen into the rotation.
However, youth does not always equate to immaturity or a lack of experience.
In UCLA’s recent win over Long Beach State, a 91-80 victory over the 49ers, Alford watched as six players scored in double figures, paced by a team-high 17 points from center Moses Brown. What stands out in this outcome, however, is that 88 percent of UCLA’s scoring was generated by underclassmen.
Credit LBSU for keeping things interesting before the Bruins pulled away in the final minutes of the game. At 2-0, non-conference wins are easy confidence boosts to Alford’s team.
On the floor thus far has been a blend of the 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes. Sophomore guards Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes have meshed well with Brown and other newcomers such as guards Jules Bernard and David Singleton.
Up next, UCLA will be tested during the toughest stretch of its non conference schedule. The Bruins begin the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational with two campus games against Saint Francis and Presbyterian before traveling to Sin City to face Michigan State and then either North Carolina or Texas.
Regardless of outcome, exposure to any combination of the latter three programs will be critical for Alford in developing the younger players as the season progresses.
– Pekale