Myles Johnson has been playing in beast mode the past few weeks and has been a big part of the Bruins’ success. (Photo Credit: Don Liebig/uclabruins.com)
Even though many Top 25 schools lost over the weekend, the Bruins paid the price for Thursday’s loss to Oregon today when this week’s AP Top 25 poll was released. The Bruins have fallen to 17th this week, their lowest ranking so far this season. What’s worse is that Southern Cal, at #16, is now ranked higher than UCLA.
The good news is that a win tonight against Washington and a win on Saturday at home against Southern Cal, coupled with a deep run in the Pac-12 Tournament, could help fix that as the NCAA Selection Committee always seems to reward teams which finish the season strong.
As for the Huskies, the Bruins blew them out by 26 points at home just nine days ago and there is absolutely no reason to think that tonight’s game will turn out any differently.
There is one thing which will be different for the Huskies. Graduate transfer Daejon Davis finally returned to the linup, playing 27 minutes against Washington State on Saturday. That’s more minutes than two of the Huskies’ starters. So, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start tonight.
While Davis didn’t start. he had nine points and seven rebounds. He also led the team in assists against the Cougs with five while serving as the spark plug on the floor with a +/- of 16 which was the best on the Huskies.
UCLA should still win tonight’s game easily. Just don’t expect it to be as much of a blowout with Davis back on the floor for Washington.
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 tonight’s game. Granted, I’m not sure why you might want to do that given that Sean Farnham will call tonight’s game with his ESPN partner Dave Pasch. But if you do want to listen to Lewin and Murrary, 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 #17 UCLA Bruins at Washington Huskies game thread.
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.
I’ve obviously been critical lately, but ucla doesn’t have any quality wins in quite some time. They need to win out to increase their tournament rankings. I still think this team can beat anybody when offense is clicking and most games are close.
That said, the rpi rankings are skewed due to what was said above. UCLA is at 13th in the net and 10th on kenpom which I think are more reflective of what ucla should be ranked. 17th is unfair given all the other top teams losing… doesn’t matter at this point of the season it’s just win baby
I take it back, Mick should stop experimenting. Seriously stop experimenting and just play Clark and Johnson the entire time, because your defense is giving up 48% shooting at the half.
Watched the Baylor game earlier. Flagler is capable of leading the team to victory. UCLA has no leader without juzang. Singleton missing open looks
Riley, tyger, and Jules shooting a combined 2-18… the coach isn’t shooting for them, but he’s calling the plays every time… every time tyger comes down the floor he looks at mick… every time!!!! And this is what is being drawn up. Coaching problem
A game this sloppy and out of control almost calls for a lot of minutes for Watson. It's not like he's going to upset any cohesion, and maybe he can defend.
I’ve obviously been critical lately, but ucla doesn’t have any quality wins in quite some time. They need to win out to increase their tournament rankings. I still think this team can beat anybody when offense is clicking and most games are close.
That said, the rpi rankings are skewed due to what was said above. UCLA is at 13th in the net and 10th on kenpom which I think are more reflective of what ucla should be ranked. 17th is unfair given all the other top teams losing… doesn’t matter at this point of the season it’s just win baby
U!
L
Shooting isn't always consistent - defensive intensity should and needs to be.
Looks like Juzang still out and Myles Johnson is back in the starting lineup… and David Singleton instead of Jaylen Clark?!?!?!
As usual, game beginning on ESPNNews
Finally got Bill Walton back. Those other announcers were brutal.
The position and color of the camera is weird
When you get it inside, you need to finish.
Now we're on ESPN2
Shots not falling. Hope it won't be another one of those games where we can't make a bucket
UCLA not passing it around at all to start
Great pass from Tyger to Clark!
Why are they saying Clark isn’t a shooter when he’s been leading the team in scoring with juzang out?
Good comeback from Riley's turnover; stupid foul by Clark
Great D, Kyman!!
Looked like a block, but will take it
That wasn’t a foul on riley
Wow, Kyman being a defensive force is new to me! You go, boy!
Sloppy and erratic sums it up
Wow, 19% from the field?? Really??
Missing layups again. Getting good looks and shots not going down.
Shooting 23.5% and up by a point… ucla needs to play their game and blow Washington out
Singleton bailed out by an awful goaltend 😂
Terrible tyger showed up to this game
Fatigue or just sloppy play?
Piss poor shooting. Bruins will need to start hitting some shots.
Well, at least Johnson tried to shoot it! LOL
Clark should be in instead of Jules… when Jules is stinking up the joint send a message cronin!!!!
Good lord that's a terrible call. Foul for not getting out of his way fast enough.
This camera angle makes the game hard to watch, but this is also the sloppiest I've seen them look in a long, long time.
Their D is solid tonight. Everything’s contested.
Washington is 116 in adjD according to kenpom… holding ucla to 20 points
There is not way this game should be this close
Get tyger off the court
Singleton!!
UCLA let Washington believe they would win this game… and now they are going to have to scrap the rest of the game
Singleton misses 2 free throws. Wow
feeling like one of those nights.
Atrocious really… what a terrible basketball game
Wow... we are really going into the locker room behind to Washington.
UCLA with a demeanor like they planned on losing.
Wtf kind of "shooting" IS this game. This is too much of a habit to ignore. Love my Bruins, but they are now afraid to shoot the ball
UCLA still getting 2.5 points this game by live betting lines. I’m not sure how anyone thinks ucla looks capable of winning
I take it back, Mick should stop experimenting. Seriously stop experimenting and just play Clark and Johnson the entire time, because your defense is giving up 48% shooting at the half.
Watched the Baylor game earlier. Flagler is capable of leading the team to victory. UCLA has no leader without juzang. Singleton missing open looks
Riley, tyger, and Jules shooting a combined 2-18… the coach isn’t shooting for them, but he’s calling the plays every time… every time tyger comes down the floor he looks at mick… every time!!!! And this is what is being drawn up. Coaching problem
Bruins are playing very tired tonight. No energy. Heavy legs. Need to try and suck it up for the 2nd half.
Cronin needs to look to his bench. Other than Jaime nobody can score. Jaime, Clark, Johnson, Singleton, and then Kyman or Watson.
A game this sloppy and out of control almost calls for a lot of minutes for Watson. It's not like he's going to upset any cohesion, and maybe he can defend.
let's go, Defense! Great D leads to good O!!