Tonight's game will be the first UCLA men's basketball not televised in almost ten years. (Photo Credit: Scott Chandler/uclabruins.com)
This evening, the UCLA Bruins will play their first of four games this season in Las Vegas. Some might say that the Bruins will look to make Vegas their home away from home, which is good considering that the Pac-12 Tournament will be played their again later this season.
Tonight’s game is more notable for what it’s not than what it is. It’s the first regular season UCLA basketball game that will not be televised since the Bruins hosted Washington State at the LA Sports Arena during the Pauley Renovation on March 1, 2012.
Instead, tonight’s game will be live streamed on ESPN+. A paid subscription will be required to watch the game.
It’s also UCLA’s second straight game against an ASUN opponent.
Bellarmine University is a school in Louisville, Kentucky with an enrollment of just 3,293 students. While it’s been a few years, I think Room 100 in UCLA’s Moore Hall held more students than that.
Last season was Bellarmine’s first season in Division I after moving up from Division II and the Knights finished the season with a 14-8 mark. That was good enough to finish second in the ASUN. It also earned the team a berth in the College Basketball Invitational where they beat Army before losing to Pepperdine.
While the Knights have begun the season 0-4, it shouldn’t be assumed they are as bad as their record suggests. Bellarmine head coach Scott Davenport took his team to four Division II Final Fours before the team moved to Division I last year and they won one title in 2011.
It seems that the Knights have been having an issue so far with a lower shooting percentage than they had last season. Through four games, the Knights are shooting just 42.9% compared to 50.8% last year. That was good for third in the nation last season behind Gonzaga and Stephen F. Austin.
Bellarmine has earned a reputation as “The Team That Doesn’t Dribble.” This YouTube video, which has over 600,000 views explains how Bellarmine uses passing to generate a high shooting percentage.
The video does a really good job explaining the Knights’ offense. While I’m sure that Coach Cronin will have the Bruins prepared for this, it will be interesting to see how UCLA’s defense attempts to stop the Knight offense.
On Friday, Gonzaga held Bellarmine to just 38.9% from the field while the Zags shot 53.3% themselves.
But it isn’t necessarily the fact that they are a high percentage team that could prove problematic. It’s the fact that they utilize the pass as much as they do which could throw off the UCLA defense.
In the video, it appears that the Knights like to use a lot of crossing and misdirection to generate offense. UCLA will need to find a way to stop that attack.
While I don’t doubt that the Bruins will come out on top in tonight’s game, I think it would be interesting to watch how Coach Cronin and the Bruins adjust to a team which plays the game so differently than most. But, alas, the game won’t be televised, just live streamed on ESPN+.
This is your Bellarmine Knights vs. UCLA Bruins game thread.
UCLA Men’s Basketball (4-0)
Opponent: Bellarmine Knights (0-4)
Series Record: First meeting
When: 5:00 pm PT, Monday, November 21, 2021
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
TV: None
Live Stream: ESPN+ and the ESPN app (subscription req’d)
Radio: AM 570 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray
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Here’s the skinny on ESPN+ it’s $6.99 a month cancel anytime so if you want to watch the game for $6.99 you can sign up for a month and cancel.
1 of 8 so far, ain't gonna make it.
Juze!
Campbells 3-point shooting reverting back to average
Sleepwalking on offense.
Double clang, but Jaime follows through.
Jaime is playing good D, but needs ti get his shot back.
Watson picking up the slack.
The bench is 8 for 9 shooting
Bellarmine is short, slow, unathletic and they can’t shoot it. Other than that, they’re great.
Bruins are skins!
So glad to find you all. Thanks gbruin. So glad Cronin giving Watson lots of time. Confidence and integration.
No points out of Tiger or Jaime yet, but we're up by 14.
At least I can get Josh and Tracy on the audio!
Bunch of things I've wanted to watch om espn+, so figured this was the time to take it for a month. Watch tonight, catch up, then cancel..
Nice pass Watson
23 bench points, so 11 from the starters.
Well, that was a bad first half for the 3 J’s.
For comparison’s sake, Gonzaga was up by 20 against Bellarmine at halftime.
Guessing Cronin is unhappy with the d.
Here we go
Great movement
This game will be great for Watson’s confidence going forward
Saving the 3 point shooting for tomorrow
Flop!!
Flop
Would be nice to sink a couple 3s to build confidence for tomorrow
Jaime shoulda taken that last shot instead of passing it off to Watson
13 pts, letting them back in, they feel it.
Bs call
The slop and flop game.
Pretty much put our starters back in. Myles immediately sends the shot on D
Watson, come here, I need you.
Yeah, huge diff with our starters back in LOL
Getting a little Jamaal Wilkes vibe from Watson.
40 points of 62 from the bench.
Have we made any 3s?
Cronin's gotta be pissed!
Need to focus!
10 point lead with 2 minutes left in game
Terrible
Myles has got to be a better rim protector going forward!!
10 point lead, 1 minute left. No one doubts we are going to win this one, but we look sloppy at the end.
Are you kidding me? Ucla doesn’t get back on defense and Bellarmine gets a wide open layup.
Ugly!
Wow. Is this a Cronin ream?