Hey guys, quick and dirty recap here since I’m at the Rose Bowl.

UCLA was never truly at risk in this game, racing out to an early lead over UNLV that they would never relinquish, ultimately winning 73-51. The Bruins shot much better overall than they did against Gonzaga, especially with their open shots, while playing much better on the defensive end. A few things that stood out to me while watching a Twitch stream on my phone:

• UCLA eventually went to their best lineup to pull away, which meant putting Jaylen Clark at center and switching everything (Peyton Watson also saw some run with this group, which was equally effective). It’s an admission that Myles Johnson currently is a square peg to the round hole that is UCLA’s defense, but also a signal that Mick Cronin is willing to experiment because he knows he can roll out a death lineup and shut things down at a moment’s notice.

• UCLA used a zone in this game! It worked as a change-up, but it’s definitely not something they should rely on consistently.

• The Bruins desperately miss Cody Riley on the offensive end. Myles Johnson does not even appear close to it, and Kenneth Nwuba is not much better. Jaylen Clark is an answer defensively but he’s not a big body that can punish guys on the interior.

• The defense was much better! It’s still a work in progress, but guys were more active on that end, and I’m more liable to believe the story that guys were sick this week.

Jules Bernard led the Bruins with 18 points. Johnny Juzang and Peyton Watson tied for the team lead with nine rebounds apiece, while Jaime Jaquez led the team with five assists. Bryce Hamilton led UNLV with 15 points.

Go Bruins!!!

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