Following two games this weekend where the Bruins dismantled both Washington schools by at least 20 points, it’s time for UCLA to deliver a little payback to the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Bruins’ two easy wins now have them ranked 12th in the nation coming into tonight’s game.
Of course, tonight’s game is a make-up game which had been postponed from the beginning of January when the program was shut down due to COVID.
When these teams met in Tempe 16 days ago, I wrote that Bruin fans shouldn’t “look for tonight’s game to be a cakewalk.” I may not have ever written a truer sentence as that game went to triple overtime before the Bruins finally fell, 87-84.
Since that meeting, the Sun Devils were handily beaten by both Arizona and the same Washington team UCLA beat two nights ago. They followed those games with a loss to Washington State before sweeping the Oregon schools this past weekend. Ironically, their margin of victory over the weekend was almost identical to UCLA’s. The Sun Devils beat Oregon by 24 and OSU by 20. That’s only a two-point differential between the Bruins and ASU for you North Campus people like myself. Does it mean much? Not at all.
What matters now is that the Bruins need to finish the regular season strong. They need a win tonight and two more over Oregon this coming weekend before wrapping up the regular season next week against Washington and Southern Cal.
Every remaining game is critical to the Pac-12 standings.
Currently, UCLA sits in third place three games behind Arizona and half a game behind Southern Cal. A win tonight will move them back into a tie for second with four games left in the regular season and a win tonight, coupled with a win over Oregon on Thursday, would almost certainly guarantee a top three finish.
The Pyramid of Success refers to Competitive Greatness as being at your best when your best is needed. It’s time for this team to prove if they have Competitive Greatness inside them. I believe in them and believe they will win at least three of their remaining five games and I’m hoping they can win four or even all five.
If the team can win out, they will head into the Pac-12 Tournament playing their best basketball of the season. On Saturday night, we saw how deep this team really is.
The calendar may still say February, but I argue that March Madness begins tonight. Why? Because these makeup games will have the team ready for play in the Pac-12 Tournament and March Madness.
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 Noah Eagle 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 Arizona State Sun Devils at #12 UCLA Bruins game thread.
#12 UCLA Men’s Basketball (19-5, 11-4)
Opponent: Arizona State Sun Devils (10-15, 6-9)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 71-24
When: 6:00 pm PT, Monday, February 21, 2022
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
TV: Fox Sports 1 with Noah Eagle and Steve Lavin
Live Stream: FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Radio: AM 570 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.
According to Ben Bolch, Tyger and Watson are likely out but Juzang and Riley are back. Tyger is resting because of his shoulder and Watson apparently has a knee injury.
Are we on hold while we wait for another late midwest game no one cares about or have we started somewhere else? (battered left coast syndrome showing)
MF... Of course the west coast game gets pushed to the subsidiary channel while the crap midwest game with the overrated Buckeyes that no cares about goes to overtime. And I don't have FS2.
Jamie Jaquez has not improved his draft stock. If he wasn't going to slide into the second round last year, he still won't. And I'll be happy to have him back.
Finally getting to watch some basketball after some time not getting to. Looks like ucla has regained some intensity. Hopefully this is the team we see for the rest of the season. Clark has really impressed for sure.
U! clap clap
According to Ben Bolch, Tyger and Watson are likely out but Juzang and Riley are back. Tyger is resting because of his shoulder and Watson apparently has a knee injury.
Are we on hold while we wait for another late midwest game no one cares about or have we started somewhere else? (battered left coast syndrome showing)
MF... Of course the west coast game gets pushed to the subsidiary channel while the crap midwest game with the overrated Buckeyes that no cares about goes to overtime. And I don't have FS2.
Injuries are off the charts.
It's a rock fight - 4-2 at the sub 16.
Bruins audio is not up, not available? Help! Please!
Clark bringing it again tonight!
Jamie Jaquez has not improved his draft stock. If he wasn't going to slide into the second round last year, he still won't. And I'll be happy to have him back.
Jaylen Clark is awesome. The end.
Clark has 6 rebounds already
Freakin Indiana-tOSU is still dragging on. Geez.
Julez!
Bernard having himself a good game so far too. Playing solid defense and contributing on offense
Juze!
Really good first 11 minutes so far.
Julez!
Julez! Again!
Kyman way to take one for the team!
Who was the player that Don MacClean called lunch box about 5 years ago? That's Clark now.
Myles with the jam!
Jaylen Clark: 2022 second round pick?
Jaylen again! He's 5 for 9 from 2.
How the hell was Clark not P12 player of the week last week?
I amend my earlier statement. Jaylen Clark is really awesome.
Myles stuff!
Finally getting to watch some basketball after some time not getting to. Looks like ucla has regained some intensity. Hopefully this is the team we see for the rest of the season. Clark has really impressed for sure.
Give him a cape!
Hurley is gonna rupture an aneurysm
Nice defense by Singleton on that late 3 on 1. Of course, the rest of the team giving up the 3 on 1 in the first place wasn't fantastic.
Here we are at the half, now it's coaches turn.
Refs definitely letting them play.
Clearly the refs have found their whistles. Hurley has gotten to them.
I don't love our offense relying so much on 3s right now
Jaquez with 2 turnovers on the last 2 plays
Letting them back in the game.
No such thing as a moving pick on ASU.
Eek… offense has died. Was that 4 straight turnovers?
We do miss Tyger
Time to bring in Singeton.
ASU all over Bernard! Thankfully Singleton drained the 3.
Tripleton!
ASU grabbing and holding. Bruins need to move offensively.
ASU defense is really keying in on Clark and it’s making our whole team discombobulated
Juzang gassed? He looks off tonight. Jaquez also having fits against asu defense
David Tripleton again!
Phew! I wasn't sure he got that off in time
Tripleton again!
Cody and Jaime!
That's how to finish, Riley!!!