Tyger Campbell and the Bruins tipoff the 2022-23 basketball season tonight against the Sacramento State Hornets. (Photo Credit: Ross Turteltaub/uclabruins.com)
Last year at this time, I proclaimed that our long national nightmare known as football season in Westwood was officially over. Of course, that was because the 2021-22 UCLA basketball season is here!
This year, I’m not sure why, but I’m not ready for the 2022-23 UCLA basketball season to start. Can we delay the season by about a month, considering that the football team is actually playing meaningful games in November for the first time in a long time?
I didn’t think so.
Tonight, the #8/7 UCLA Bruins start their journey on the road to the 2023 Final Four. The Bruins will look to continue their resurgeance under head coach Mick Cronin.
The core of last season’s team returns this year. Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez, Jr. are both back as are Jaylen Clark and David Singleton.
That doesn’t mean that the Bruins haven’t lost a lot of talent. They have. Six guys who played a lot of minutes last season are gone. That includes Johnny Juzang, Jules Bernard, Myles Johnson, Cody Riley, and Peyton Watson. Jake Kyman is also gone, having transferred to Wyoming.
Will McClendon, who tore up his knee in last September, should be back as should Mac Etienne.
Coach Cronin has recruited well and the Bruins have a lot of new faces on the roster. This year’s freshmen class includes Amari Bailey and Evan Manjikian, both of whom join UCLA from nearby Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth.
For the fourth season in a row, the Bruins open the season against a CSU school. This year’s first opponent will be Sacramento State. The Hornets will be led by first year head coach David Patrick. This is Patrick’s second head coaching job. He was previously the head coach at UC Riverside from 2018 until 2020. Last season, he was an assistant to Porter Moser at Oklahoma.
Last season, the Hornets finished the season with an 11-18 record.
While Sacramento State’s game notes list Zach Chappell and Oregon State transfer Gianni Hunt as probable starters, it should be interesting because both guys have played point guard in the past. So, it will be interesting to see who’s at the 1 when both are on the floor.
The Hornets’ starting forwards both hail from Australia. Given the fact that David Patrick grew up Down Under and is still an assistant with the Australian National Team, it’s no surprise to see a few Aussies on the roster and in the starting lineup. Hunter Marks joins the Hornets as a transfer from Hartford while Akol Mawein comes to the Hornets with Patrick from Oklahoma.
Sacramento State’s starting center is another former player of Patrick’s. New Zealander Callum McRae is a senior transfer from UC Riverside.
Aside from the two starting forwards and the starting center, Sacramento State only has one reserve big man on the roster. That’s freshman Kiir Kiir Chol Deng. The rest of the roster is filled with guards. So, expect to see the Hornets play with three point guards a good chunk of the time.
The other thing to expect from the Hornets is defense. That’s because Patrick is known for being a defensive-minded coach. After leaving UC Riverside for Arkansas, he was the Razorbacks’ defensive coordinator. Last season, he filled the same role for Oklahoma.
So, expect both Sacramento State and the Bruins to come into the game with a defensive mindset. That should result in a pretty low scoring game. Of course, the talent level on the Bruins should mean that this game should be over by halftime.
This is your UCLA men’s basketball season opener game thread. Here’s how to watch tonight’s game.
#8/7 UCLA Men’s Basketball (0-0)
Opponent: Sacramento State Hornets (0-0)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 2-0
When: 8:30 pm PT, Tuesday, November 7, 2022
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
TV: Pac-12 Networks National and Los Angeles with Ted Robinson and Bill Walton
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Kinda nice that the Bruins have the FB team in the top ten AND the roundball team there as well. May not last but let's enjoy it while we can, shall we?
Is it just me or does Nwuba look taller? He’s definitely gotten leaner in the off-season. Etienne bulked up and I think he’ll surprise us this season. He has a decent offensive skill set that he displayed briefly in the NCAA tourney in 2021.
Mon, 11/7 (not Tues)
Thanks for the article, Joe!
Kinda nice that the Bruins have the FB team in the top ten AND the roundball team there as well. May not last but let's enjoy it while we can, shall we?
Trogans 0-1 to start the season. Nice.
U
Great board and pass by Jaylen
Wow. What quickness on that drive by Jaquez!
2 great passes on the break by Clark so far
Mac rejecting everything!
Bailey at point now.
Getting out rebounded
Tyger with the 3!
Bruins looking a bit sloppy. First game. SC got hammered.
Jaylen playing great on the boards
I guess the Bruins showed up.
Looking sharper the last few minutes.
Is it just me or does Nwuba look taller? He’s definitely gotten leaner in the off-season. Etienne bulked up and I think he’ll surprise us this season. He has a decent offensive skill set that he displayed briefly in the NCAA tourney in 2021.
UCLA 39 - Sac St 25 at half.
SPTRs in mid season form already.
Can't believe this is the first FT shot by the Bruins
Way too many second chance shots for Sac State.
Lovely tribute by Bill to Greg Lee
Clark looks so explosive.
Kenny with the jam!
Nwuba!!
Not a lot of playing time for Bailey/Andrews/Canka today
FSPTRs.
Clark called for the flop. Wow this is unbelievable. Knocked over backwards...
Wtaf? This is what happens when an nfl referee officiates an ncaa bball game
Clark taking it to the rack!
JFC!!
What’s the ucla record for steals in a game? Clark must be getting close!
UCLA 76 - Sac St 50. Final
Rover time!
"He didn't flop and you know it!"
Solid start to the year. Clark was fantastic.
Have a great night, Bruin fam.