Who will step up for the Bruins tonight against the Colorado Buffaloes? (Photo Credit: Don Liebig/uclabruins.com)
This evening, the UCLA Bruins host the Colorado Buffaloes at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins are looking to close out the week by sweeping the Mountain schools after UCLA beat the Utes on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Buffs are looking to do the same after they beat Southern Cal, 72-62.
As I said in our Game Preview earlier today, tonight’s game looks to be another game where the first team to 70 wins. While I expect the Bruins to win, I don’t expect it to be any easy game by any shape of the imagination. In fact, to the contrary, I’m kind of expecting this game to be another nail-biter like Thursday’s game against the Utes.
Of course, Thursday also saw Chris Smith end his slump by leading the team with 16 points. But there is some bad news this afternoon. Smith tore his ACL during Thursday’s game and, according to the UCLA Men’s Basketball Twitter account, he will miss both tonight’s game and the rest of the season.
While we certainly join in wishing him a speedy recovery, the Bruins will need someone else to step up tonight against the Buffs as a result.
Listen to the Game Here on TMB!
The TuneIn player won’t embed here on Substack, but you can open another tab to listen. Today’s game is on Pac-12 Networks with J.B. Long and Don MacLean calling the game. If you would prefer to listen to Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray call today’s game instead you can listen to today’s game online.
Join your fellow Bruin fans discussing today’s game below.
This is your Colorado Buffaloes at UCLA Bruins game thread.
UCLA Men’s Basketball (6-2, 2-0)
Opponent: Colorado Buffaloes (7-2, 1-1)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 13-6
When: 5:00 pm PT, Saturday, January 2, 2021
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
TV: Pac-12 Networks National, Los Angeles and Mountain with J.B. Long and Don MacLean
Thanks again for supporting The Mighty Bruin. Your paid subscriptions make this site possible. Questions, comments, story ideas, angry missives and more can be sent to to @TheMightyBruin on Twitter.
U!
Bernard with lazy pass to start the game, first TO; then UCLA D forces a clock violation
Sloppy game on both sides so far, 2 ½ in to the game
Strong defense by both teams so far
Nice drive by Riley for the basket
Let's keep feeding it inside to our bigs
Well, Joe, if both teams continue to score at this pace, we won't find out who's the first to 70!
Physical ball game.
Let’s go Bruins!
Throw it down, Jaquez!!
Meanwhile, Riley doing a great job of D down low on Buff's Battey
Let's go Bruins! Finish strong
Keep pounding it inside!
Two solid teams battling
Good Bruin defense tonight...thank goodness
Bernard playing the point... Campbell is getting taken on defense due to his size
What happened to our transition D? Is that cause Tyger's out?
Kind of wish Singleton had been with that line up
Battey with 3 fouls, Walker with 4... both play inside for Buffs
Riley down low all night!!
This is one of those night you go home hoarse.
Our rebounding has kept us in front
Real battle
Battey for how big he is sure does flop a lot... reminds me of “big baby” from the clippers years ago
Colorado just can't stop Riley inside... keep feeding the beast!!
Nail biter
SPTRs doing a good job swallowing their whistles and letting them play
Need to run our offense
We should get last shot, at least
Solid defense for the win
Campbell should’ve called TO there when he got stuck
6.5 sec left, our ball
Make a free throw...
Not good for my blood pressure
We make both, that should be game...
One down.
WTF the SPTR calls a foul with less than a second left??
Clutch!
Give them the 3. We'll take the W.
Needed that one
It wasn't 70, but it was good enough.
Get well soon, Chris.
Undefeated in conference still :-)
Whew! Good night from the East Coast fellow Bruins.