Jules Bernard drives against WSU’s Andrej Jakimovski during last season’s game at Pauley. (Photo Credit: uclabruins.com)
Tonight, the UCLA Bruins return home from a grueling road trip which saw them lose a pair of games against the Arizona schools along with Southern Cal. If there was any saving grace, it was the fact that they managed to avoid making the trip a total loss by beating Stanford.
This weekend, the Washington schools visit Pauley and it’s the Washington State Cougars whom the Bruins will look to take some frustration out on tonight. UCLA has not been shooting the ball particularly well during this last stretch. Hopefully, some home cookin’ can fix that tonight.
Meanwhile, head coach Kyle Smith is seeing improvement from his Cougars this season. In Smith’s first season in Pullman, the Cougs went 16-16 overall and 6-12 in the Pac-12. Last season, they finished with an overall record of 14-13 and a conference record of 7-12. So far this season, Wazzou is 14-10 overall and 7-6 in the Pac-12, meaning that they have already matched Smith’s most Pac-12 wins in a season and they need to three wins down the stretch to give them their most wins under Smith.
Starting Five
Smith is accomplishing that by coaching up his young roster. He has only one redshirt senior in starting guard Michael Flowers and one true senior in Matt DeWolf.
The two couldn’t be more different. Flowers leads the team in scoring with 13.9 points per game. He also leads the Cougs in assists with 73 and is tied for the lead in steals with 24. DeWolf, on the other hand, hasn’t played more than eight minutes in a game or scored more than four points in a game all season after transferring from Brown.
The rest of the team entire team and the starting five consists of freshmen, sophomores and juniors.
There are two other players who are averaging in double figures for Washington State. The first is redshirt junior Tyrell Roberts. The guard from Sacramento is averaging 10.7 points per game and has only missed two of his 35 free throw attempts so far this season. He is not the guy Mick Cronin is going to want to put on the charity stripe with the game on the line. The third guy averaging in double figures probably won’t even start tonight. That’s junior guard Noah Williams who’s averaging 10.4 points per game primarily off the bench.
The three remaining probable starters are averaging either 7.5 ppg or 7.2 ppg. Sophomore Efe Abogidi and freshman Mouhamed Gueye are the starting forwards and they both average 7.5 points per game. Smith isn’t looking for a lot of offense from the pair. Instead, they are the team’s top two rebounders and shot blockers. Abogidi edges Gueye for most rebounds by just two rebounds the whole season and he is also the top shot blocker.
Rounding out the starting five is guard TJ Bamba. The sophomore from the Bronx is the guy who is averaging just 7.2 points per game and, frankly, he doesn’t seem to standout anywhere on the stat sheet. He seems like a guy the Bruins can leave free if Coach Cronin opts to double team someone else.
Outlook
Hey, it’s Washington State. Is it “Guaranteed Win Night”? If Ernie Kent were still coaching, maybe. But Smith is developing his young roster. And, of course, you cannot forget that Smith’s first Pac-12 win came against the Bruins in overtime.
That said, do I think the Cougs have a fighting chance in Pauley? Hell, no!
But I also didn’t think ASU would beat UCLA either.
Here’s hoping that Coach Cronin has hit the accerator for the Bruins and they won’t need overtime to beat Wazzou.
Listen to the Game With TMB!
TuneIn.com now has UCLA’s games listed as “premium” content. So, rather than using TuneIn, you can just listen through the official website like we have done with the small sports for a long time in order to listen to Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray call today’s game and you just might want to tonight. That’s because tonight’s game will air on Fox Sports 1 with Alex Faust and Steve Lavin on the call. If you don’t want to listen to them, just be sure to right-click on it so that you can open up another tab and have it going while you chat in the comments below. Listen to today’s game online.
In the meantime, here’s how to watch tonight’s game:
This is your Washington State Cougars at #13 UCLA Bruins game thread.
#13 UCLA Men’s Basketball (17-5, 9-4)
Opponent: Washington State Cougars (14-10, 7-6)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 110-19
When: 8:00 pm PT, Thursday, February 17, 2022
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
TV: Fox Sports 1 with Alex Faust and Steve Lavin
Live Stream: FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Radio: AM 1150 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray
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.
On Audio, Tracy said FINALLY, the '85 Bruins celebrated our NIT Championship. Crazy Lewin agreed, and burted out a Championship is a Championship. Well, I was on campus when we won, and nobody liked it... nobody respected it. The Daily Bruin Headlined something like: BRUINS CONFIRM WE'RE #65 IN THE COUNTRY!!!! Bruins, we don't play NITs, ok. We still have the most bb titles in the NCAA. UCLA defines NCAA Mens' College Basketball. Accept it. Tracy Murry is lucky he works for UCLA. He was hated for leaving early to the NBA. That was unusual at that time. Murray followed Tommy Maddox by leaving early.
We’re running because we’re defending and rebounding. We’re shooting a lot of layups. Up 21-10 on the glass. Clark as 12 points 5 assists 4 rebounds and 0 turnovers. The only negative on his line is FTs.
UCLA getting rightfully frustrated by the horrendous whistle swallowing. The refs have decided they want to keep this game close even allowing wsu to hack all night
The game plan with juzang on the court appears stagnant. Need to play through the whole team, but that doesn’t seem to happen when he’s out there right now. Everybody stands around hoping he’ll save the day
Clark needs a lot more minutes from here on out. Play Jules less. Give Jaime a few more minutes rest. He’s not a shooter but he can score. He can also defend and share the ball. Reads the floor well. Makes good cuts.
He's got a chance to make a roster one day but he has a long way to go offensively. His shot needs some work and he can be pretty awkward finishing around the rim. I love his potential though and I hope he and Watson lock it down defensively next year.
U
C
L clap, clap
P
D
No Tyger tonight. Violation of team rules.
Wow no Tyger due to violation of team rules
Couldn’t come at a worse time. Stupid.
what did he do? Better come with a good story and not something stupid like being late to shoot around.
We'll never be told.
Johnson also starting over Riley tonight
Good defensive start! Jaime holding his own in the post and Johnson changing shots! Early WSU Timeout
Welcome to the Jaylen Clark Show!
Clark with 7 points and Juzang with 2 assists. Good start, fouls notwithstanding
We start off shooting 100%. This can't last. I'm a genius!
LOL
Cody!
Myles really going for it and then gets called for traveling. What?!
Looked good on replay 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah we rewatched it and came to the same conclusion
even Kyman is hitting shots. this game is over.
Watson, I need you!
Singleton with the 3 from the corner!
UCLA getting absolutely hacked on every play! What the hell is going on! Someone is going to get hurt
On Audio, Tracy said FINALLY, the '85 Bruins celebrated our NIT Championship. Crazy Lewin agreed, and burted out a Championship is a Championship. Well, I was on campus when we won, and nobody liked it... nobody respected it. The Daily Bruin Headlined something like: BRUINS CONFIRM WE'RE #65 IN THE COUNTRY!!!! Bruins, we don't play NITs, ok. We still have the most bb titles in the NCAA. UCLA defines NCAA Mens' College Basketball. Accept it. Tracy Murry is lucky he works for UCLA. He was hated for leaving early to the NBA. That was unusual at that time. Murray followed Tommy Maddox by leaving early.
While I agree, on the other hand, we did beat Bobby Knight and a soph G named Steve Alfor in the final, so there's that...
I will say ucla is absolutely hustling on defense this game so far
Seriously… absolutely all hand on every shot and zero whistles. This is atrocious
A lot of turnovers without Tyger.
They are running it down the court though… tyger slowly walks it up the court. This is actually more exciting basketball in my opinion
We’re running because we’re defending and rebounding. We’re shooting a lot of layups. Up 21-10 on the glass. Clark as 12 points 5 assists 4 rebounds and 0 turnovers. The only negative on his line is FTs.
God night, Bruins fans, Go Bruins!
Good night, King!
UCLA getting rightfully frustrated by the horrendous whistle swallowing. The refs have decided they want to keep this game close even allowing wsu to hack all night
I hate the 1-4 set with Juzang just running around picks trying to get open. The ball just stops and the clock runs down.
Thats a technical… not even going for the ball
Kyman really looks like he’s been getting his confidence back. When he gets in the game he’s been playing well
I hate to say it, but better ball movement withou Juzang. Don’t get me wrong, we need him. I just wish we dribbles less when he’s in the game.
Yes! This what we been saying for the last two weeks
The game plan with juzang on the court appears stagnant. Need to play through the whole team, but that doesn’t seem to happen when he’s out there right now. Everybody stands around hoping he’ll save the day
Is the rebounding margin correct at 24-11 ucla? That’s a big discrepancy. UCLA going for every rebound tonight
Team work on the fast break leads to an and 1! Steals and easy buckets this game
Mick needs a wig
Jules the smallest on the court. Jaquez, Riley, kyman and Clark the others
Clark needs a lot more minutes from here on out. Play Jules less. Give Jaime a few more minutes rest. He’s not a shooter but he can score. He can also defend and share the ball. Reads the floor well. Makes good cuts.
Clark is a solid player
After Watson, he's going to have the best NBA career of anyone on the roster.
He's got a chance to make a roster one day but he has a long way to go offensively. His shot needs some work and he can be pretty awkward finishing around the rim. I love his potential though and I hope he and Watson lock it down defensively next year.
He’s totally proved it
The officiating of this game...
Since when is a ball dribbled on your own foot not a kicked ball? WSU getting way with a lot.
Would like to see Lavin get another head coaching gig
Yeah, at USC!
Starting to hear the chants for Russell :-)
Dmitri, if you don’t have Clark as the player of the game, you’re going to gave to take a cut in pay!
He's got a double double and a career high!
Clark - 18 pts, 11 rebounds , 5 assts, 3 steals. All career highs
Kenny is playing. Haven't seen him in a while. Good to see.
Refs love to call fouls on Jake.