How To Watch, Game Preview and Game Thread: #22/21 UCLA Bruins vs. #14/15 Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Bruins return home...sort of...for a neutral site game against the Zags.
This afternoon, the UCLA Bruins return home after last weekend’s game at Madison Square Garden in New York City, but they won’t be playing in Pauley Pavilion today. Instead, the Bruins will travel down the 405 to play at the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood when they will face Gonzaga in the first college basketball game at the new arena.
Today’s game opens the 2024 West Coast Hoops Showdown with the nation’s most storied program going against the Zags, a team which has pretty much owned them, having won seven of the nine times the teams have played.
In fact, the Zags have won the last four meetings, which coincidentally have been all four times the teams have met since Mick Cronin became head coach at UCLA. So, Mark Few has clearly had Cronin’s number, and Cronin would like to get that monkey off his back finally.
Starting Five
In order to do that, the Bruins will need to find a way to shut down Gonzaga’s offense. This season, the Zags are 9-0 when they score more than 80 points in regulation.
Mark Few will likely start a lineup of four guards and a forward, but more importantly, all of the likely starters are upperclassmen, meaning they have a lot of experience.
Gonzaga is led by redshirt senior forward Graham Ike, who is averaging 15.5 ppg despite averaging just 18.8 minutes per game. It would be ideal if the Bruins can find a way to get Ike into foul trouble early in order to minimize his minutes as much as possible. He also leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per game.
Three of the Zags’ starting four guards are all averaging in double figures, too. Grad transfer Khalif Battle is at his fourth school in six years. He began his college career at Butler before playing three seasons at Temple and last year at Arkansas. His 12.4 ppg is second among the starters and third on the team overall.
Senior guard Ryan Nembhard is a transfer student who joined the Zags last season after playing two seasons at Creighton. Nembhard is averaging 11.8 ppg and he leads the team with an average of 10.2 assists per game. That’s good enough to also lead the nation in assists per game and he’s second in total assists. He also leads the team in steals with 24.
The final starter in double figures is senior Nolan Hickman. Hickman is that rare player who has played all four years at the same school. He’s averaging 10.5 ppg and his 49.5% shooting percentage is the second-highest on the team. His 44.8% three-point percentage is also the highest among the starters. So, the Bruins will need to find a way to shut him down from outside.
The only starter who isn’t averaging in double figures is senior transfer Michael Ajayi, who joins Gonzaga after playing last season at Pepperdine. Ajayi is averaging 6.9 ppg. He is also tied for second on the team in rebounds with an average of 5.3 per game.
Mark Few’s rotation will go deep into his bench. He tends to play nine or even ten players in games. The most dangerous guy off the bench is probably redshirt sophomore Braden Huff who is averaging 12.7 ppg, which is second on the team behind Ike. Among players with more than ten shot attempts, Huff’s 59.0% shooting percentage is the best on the team. Senior forward Ben Gregg is the second-best guy off the bench with an average of 10.0 ppg. Gregg is tied with Ajayi for second on the team in rebounds.
The next two guys off the bench are sophomore guards Dusty Stromer and Emmanuel Innocenti. Stromer has played in all twelve games while Innocenti has played in eleven of them, but neither one contributes much statistically. The only thing that’s notable is that Stromer has a 45.5% three-point percentage, which is best on the team, though he’s only tried 33 three-point attempts and he’s only averaging 6.1 ppg.
The tenth man listed in Gonzaga’s rotation is junior Jun Seok Yeo. He hasn’t contributed much either and he’s missed the last two games, but he’s played in six of the Zags’ twelve games this season.
Analysis
If the Bruins want to win today, they will need to find a way to slow down Ike and Huff. Keeping Stromer off the scoreboard could go a long way to a Bruin win as well, given that three of the four games UCLA has played against the Zags in the Cronin era has been decided by four points or less. So, slowing down Ike and Huff and/or stopping Stromer could prove to be the difference in this one.
Listen to the Game With TMB
Today’s game will be on Fox with Jason Benetti and Jim Jackson calling the action. If you prefer, you can listen to Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray. 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.
This is your UCLA men’s basketball vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs game thread. Here’s how to watch, listen and stream today’s game:
2024 West Coast Hoops Showdown
Opponents: #22/21 UCLA Bruins (10-2) vs. #14/15 Gonzaga Bulldogs (9-3)
Series Record: UCLA trails, 2-7
When: 1:00 pm PT, Saturday, December 28, 2024
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
TV: Fox with Jason Benetti and Jim Jackson
Live Stream: FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Radio/Audio
Local Radio: AM 570 with Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Channel 195 (UCLA feed)
Online: uclabruins.com
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes:
UCLA
Go Bruins!!!
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lol wtheck was that shot by Nembhard?! UCLA wins!!!
Who’s heart still beating like crazy