“Tuesday Showdown: No. 22 UCLA Welcomes No. 24 Michigan for an Epic Clash!”

LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men’s basketball team will welcome Michigan on Tuesday evening at Pauley Pavilion. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (PT). The Bruins’ contest against the Wolverines will be streamed nationally on Peacock. This matchup will be the first encounter between UCLA and Michigan since the Bruins secured a 51-49 victory over Michigan during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament held in Indianapolis. Previously, both teams competed against each other in a home-and-home series across the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, with each side winning on its home floor (UCLA in Dec. 2016, and Michigan in Dec. 2017).

 

GAME INFORMATION

Venue: Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom

Capacity: 13,800

Tipoff Time: 7:02 p.m. (PT)

TV Network: Peacock (details here)

TV Talent: Terry Gannon (play-by-play), Jalen Rose (analyst)

Radio (UCLA Audio Network): AM 570

Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)

SIRIUS XM: Channel 83 and on the SXM App

 

UCLA’S TICKET INFORMATION (HOME GAMES)

Single-game tickets for UCLA’s remaining nine home contests are available for purchase. Supporters can obtain tickets for each of the Bruins’ remaining conference home games during UCLA’s landmark inaugural year in the Big Ten. The Bruins return to competition this Tuesday night against Michigan (game time is 7 p.m., PT). This will be Michigan’s first matchup against UCLA at Pauley Pavilion since Dec. 10, 2016.

 

Other home engagements in Big Ten action will feature Iowa (Friday, Jan. 17), Wisconsin (Tuesday, Jan. 21), Oregon (Thursday, Jan. 30), Michigan State (Tuesday, Feb. 4), Penn State (Saturday, Feb. 8), Minnesota (Tuesday, Feb. 18), Ohio State (Sunday, Feb. 23) and USC (Saturday, March 8) marking the season’s finale for both institutions.

 

Comprehensive ticket information regarding UCLA men’s basketball is accessible here. Direct links for single-game ticket purchases can be found here. Fans may call (310) 206-5991 or email tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for additional details. Furthermore, be sure to explore all of the game themes and forthcoming promotions for the Bruins’ 2024-25 season.

PARKING AT UCLA

Supporters are encouraged to obtain parking for UCLA’s home matches in advance via the Bruin ePermit Portal. The university’s ePermit Portal allows basketball enthusiasts to purchase and manage a parking permit ahead of a sporting event at UCLA. Fans may also utilize “Parkmobile” to pay for parking via a smartphone. Users can establish an account with Parkmobile by downloading and installing the mobile application or by visiting this Parkmobile site. Information concerning Parkmobile can be accessed here. Visitor parking rates at UCLA can be viewed here.

 

UPDATING ON THE BRUINS

– No. 15-ranked UCLA holds an 11-3 record leading into this Tuesday’s home matchup against Michigan.

– This season marks the 106th basketball year at UCLA and the sixth year under head coach Mick Cronin.

– The Bruins faced a loss at Nebraska on Saturday after registering a 5-1 record in six games throughout December.

– Junior Tyler Bilodeau has averaged 14.5 points and 5.2 rebounds across 14 games, achieving a shooting percentage of 50.0 percent from the field.

– As of games completed on Sunday, Jan. 5, UCLA ranked No. 6 nationally in scoring defense (59.2 ppg).

– As of Sunday, Jan. 5, UCLA placed No. 5 in the nation for forcing turnovers per game (17.8).

– As of Sunday, Jan. 5, the Bruins stood No. 7 in the country with a turnover margin of (+6.1).

– UCLA has held opponents to 65 points or fewer in eight out of 14 games during this season.

– Kobe Johnson (30 steals, 2.1 spg) ranked third in the Big Ten for steals per game (as of Sunday, Jan. 5).

– Following Tuesday’s home game, UCLA will play four out of the next six games away from Pauley Pavilion.

– The Bruins’ program has welcomed nine new players this season – comprising six transfers and three freshmen.

– Under the guidance of Mick Cronin, UCLA holds a record of 126-56 in his sixth season with the team.

 

RECENT EVENTS

– After trailing 53-40 with seven minutes to go, UCLA narrowed Nebraska’s lead to 61-58 with 24 seconds remaining in Saturday’s match. The Bruins fell short, losing 66-58 in front of 15,167 fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

– UCLA shot 4-for-28 from beyond the arc last Saturday at Nebraska, having previously tied a season single-game record (12) by shooting 12-for-24 (50.0 percent) from three-point range during a victory over Gonzaga on Saturday, Dec. 28, in nearby Inglewood, California.

– Eric Dailey Jr. (18 points, six rebounds, four steals) achieved a 4-for-5 performance from three-point range during UCLA’s hard-fought win over Gonzaga, 65-62, in front of 12,272 spectators at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on the afternoon of Saturday, Dec. 28.

– Five of UCLA’s last six games were contested within one possession in the closing minute, including last Saturday’s 66-58 defeat at Nebraska. The Bruins have recorded a 3-2 record in those five closely contested matchups, with victories over Oregon, Arizona, and Gonzaga.

 

LOSS ON SATURDAY IN LINCOLN

Tyler Bilodeau (15 points) and Lazar Stefanovic (10 points) were the only Bruins along with double-digit points Saturday, as they faced the defeat at Nebraska (66-58). The match featured several double-digit scoring spurts with the score tied at 24-24 at halftime. UCLA began with a 7-0 lead before Nebraska took the initiative at 15-7. The Bruins countered with a 15-0 run to hold a 22-15 advantage before the Cornhuskers leveled the score (24-24, at halftime). UCLA led Nebraska, 32-31, with 16 minutes remaining, but the home team established a 22-8 scoring run over the subsequent eight minutes to take a 53-40 advantage (with 7:15 left to play).

 

BRUINS BEAT GONZAGA, 65-62

In a game boasting eight ties and three lead changes, UCLA triumphed over Gonzaga on Saturday, Dec. 28, concluding with a 65-62 success at Intuit Dome. Bruins’ guard Skyy Clark made all four of his free throw attempts during the final 15 seconds of the game.

seconds. Sebastian Mack executed an old-school 3-point play with 33 seconds remaining, providing UCLA a 61-60 lead. Following a missed 3-pointer from Gonzaga, Clark secured the rebound and made both free throws, extending the Bruins’ advantage to 63-60. Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard completed a layup with 8.1 seconds to go, drew a foul but missed the resulting free throw.

 

DECEMBER OVERVIEW

– Before defeating Gonzaga, UCLA achieved a season-high 111 points in a decisive 111-75 triumph over Prairie View A&M at Pauley Pavilion (Tuesday, Dec. 17). This represented the highest scoring game in six years under head coach Mick Cronin at UCLA.

– The Bruins came back from a 13-point deficit against Arizona on Saturday, Dec. 14, competing in Phoenix at Footprint Center. UCLA launched a 21-5 scoring spree in the last 11 minutes of the second half to overcome a 49-36 shortfall (UCLA won, 57-54).

– Junior guard Dylan Andrews made a banked-in 3-pointer with just 0.4 seconds remaining at Oregon on Sunday, Dec. 8, leading UCLA to defeat the Ducks, 71-70, at Matthew Knight Arena. UCLA held a 65-58 advantage with four minutes left in that match.

– UCLA commenced December with a 69-58 triumph at home versus Washington, marking the Bruins’ first official Big Ten matchup. The Bruins restricted Washington to 3-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc in that win.

 

UNDER 60 POINTS

UCLA has compiled a record of 59-3 since the onset of the 2019-20 season when restricting opponents to less than 60 points (all under head coach Mick Cronin). This season, the Bruins are undefeated at 7-0 when limiting the rival to under 60 points. The Bruins ranked No. 8 nationally in scoring defense as of Monday, Dec. 30, allowing an average of 58.7 points per game. UCLA constrained Boston University to 40 points (71-40) on Nov. 11, becoming the first instance since Jan. 19, 2020, where the Bruins held an opposing team to 40 points or fewer (UCLA bested California, 50-40, in Pauley Pavilion).

 

GIFTED TYLER

Junior Tyler Bilodeau has posted a team-leading average of 14.5 points per game and is second on the squad in rebounding (5.2 rpg). Bilodeau has achieved double-digit scoring in 10 of UCLA’s 14 contests, having surpassed the 20-point mark in three games. Three weeks ago, he matched his career-high with 26 points in a defeat against North Carolina. He has made 50.0 percent of his shots from the field and 40.9 percent from 3-point range, hitting at least four 3-pointers in two games. He was 5-for-6 from long distance in UCLA’s 76-74 defeat to North Carolina at Madison Square Garden (Dec. 21).

 

NATIONAL STATS

As of games played on Sunday, Jan. 5, the Bruins were placed No. 6 in the country for scoring defense (59.2 ppg), No. 5 for turnovers generated per game (17.8), and No. 7 in turnover differential (+6.1). Additionally, the Bruins ranked No. 22 nationally for scoring margin (16.8 points per game). Examining shooting statistics, opponents have shot 39.5 percent against UCLA (No. 35 in the nation) and 29.5 percent from beyond the arc (No. 49 in the nation). The latest national metrics on KenPom.com ranked UCLA at No. 4 for defensive efficiency and No. 89 for offensive efficiency.

 

UP NEXT, UCLA FACES MARYLAND

UCLA will hit the road again later this week, engaging in two matchups against Maryland and Rutgers. The Bruins encountered Maryland in a home-and-home series over the past two seasons, with each team triumphing in their respective road game (UCLA at Maryland in Dec. 2022, and Maryland in Pauley Pavilion in Dec. 2023). Historically, the Bruins maintain a 7-3 record against Maryland. Most recently, UCLA secured a victory over Maryland (86-70) on Dec. 14, 2022. Last season, the Terrapins achieved a 69-60 win against UCLA in Pauley Pavilion. In anticipation of next Monday’s rival, UCLA holds a 2-1 record in the all-time series against Rutgers.

 

SKYY’S THE LIMIT

Junior guard Skyy Clark has achieved an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.6 throughout 14 contests this season (accumulating 37 assists and 14 turnovers). He committed seven turnovers over the Bruins’ last eight matches, covering nearly 218 minutes of play. Clark approaches UCLA’s matchup on Tuesday night with the second-highest assist total on the team (37), trailing guard Kobe Johnson (47). He posted 11 points, a career-best nine rebounds, and a career-high equal seven assists in the 65-62 victory over Gonzaga. Clark scored a season-high 15 points in UCLA’s comeback win against Arizona on Saturday, Dec. 14, in Phoenix.

 

TOP DEFENSIVE PLAYER

Senior guard Kobe Johnson has accumulated 186 steals across 104 games (averaging 1.8 steals per game), now in his fourth year of collegiate play. He enters this Tuesday’s matchup boasting a team-leading 30 steals (teammate Skyy Clark has amassed 22), achieving nearly 2.1 steals per game this season as a senior. Johnson registered six steals in a win over Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 22), marking the third occasion in his career he has reached six steals in a match. Originating from Milwaukee, Wis., Johnson earned honors on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team for the past two seasons during his tenure at USC. Over the previous two seasons (64 games), he averaged 10.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game while at USC.

 

DEFENSIVE STRENGTH

Arizona’s total of 54 points on Saturday, Dec. 14, marked the fewest the Wildcats’ program has scored since Feb. 8, 2020, when UCLA captured a 65-52 victory over Arizona at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. The 54 points by Arizona on Saturday represented the fewest in a game under head coach Tommy Lloyd’s guidance in Tucson (now in his fourth term). The Wildcats were limited to their lowest number of made field goals (19) in 13 games this season (19-for-42, 45.2%). UCLA has kept opponents to 19 or fewer made field goals in seven of 14 matches (with Boston University and Southern Utah only managing 14 made shots).

 

ROAD SUCCESS IN EUGENE

The Bruins’ 73-71 victory at No. 12-ranked Oregon on Sunday, Dec. 8, marked the first road win over a top-20 ranked foe for the program since No. 16 UCLA prevailed at No. 20 Maryland, 87-60, on Dec. 14, 2022. Prior to the 2022 victory, UCLA had triumphed at No. 18 Colorado, 70-63, on Feb. 22, 2020 (during a stretch in which the Bruins won 11 of 13 games). The Bruins have not faced a road game against a top-10 ranked opponent since falling to No. 7 Arizona, 76-66, at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 3, 2022 (the Bruins were ranked No. 3 in the nation prior to that matchup).

 

INSIGHTS ON PAULEY PAVILION

The Bruins have achieved an 8-0 record in Pauley Pavilion this season, currently in their 59th year playing in the historic UCLA basketball arena. Pauley Pavilion debuted for the 1965-66 season. The inaugural game in Pauley Pavilion occurred on Dec. 3, 1965, when No. 1 UCLA triumphed over Ohio State, 92-66. UCLA spent 47 seasons in Pauley Pavilion before the venue underwent an 18-month renovation (closed in March of 2011). During the 2011-12 season, UCLA hosted 18 home contests at the Los Angeles Sports Arena (14 games) near downtown L.A. and at the Honda Center in Anaheim (four games) prior to returning to Pauley Pavilion in Nov. 2012. This marks the 13th season in the “new” setup of Pauley Pavilion.

 

Last year, CSUN ended UCLA’s 29-home-game winning streak with a 76-72 victory over the Bruins (Dec. 19, 2023). Previously, UCLA had not faced a home loss since an overtime defeat (84-81) against Oregon on Jan. 13, 2022. UCLA’s 29-game home winning streak had been the longest ongoing streak in the nation. Since Mick Cronin took over as head coach at UCLA prior to the 2019-20 season, he has steered the Bruins to a record of 72-13.record in 85 home matches (84.7% victory rate).

 

TRACK AND FIELD, AND BASKETBALL

William Kyle III, a 6-foot-9 forward hailing from Bellevue, Neb., developed a passion for the track from a young age. Having been introduced to basketball and track and field early on, Kyle III particularly enjoyed competing as a youthful high jump athlete (he also sprinted the 400m and 800m). Kyle III reminisces about participating in the youth national championship as a fourth grader, where he secured sixth place overall in high jump that year. Entering seventh grade, he achieved eighth in high jump (nationals) and roughly 23rd in the 800m. Kyle III, who spent his initial two years of college at South Dakota State, gravitated towards basketball in the summer of 2020 during his time at Bellevue West High School (the COVID-19 pandemic had curtailed his sophomore high school season).

 

MINUTES DISTRIBUTION

While it’s not yet halfway through the season (after 14 matches), no individuals on UCLA’s roster have averaged more than 28 minutes per game, with junior Tyler Bilodeau leading the squad in minutes (averaging 27.4 mpg). Since UCLA began tracking minutes in the 1978-79 season, the Bruins have consistently had at least one player average 30.0 or more minutes per game (by season’s end). In the 2019-20 season, then-freshman guard Tyger Campbell concluded the year as the Bruins’ minutes leader per game, averaging exactly 30.0 mpg. This year’s roster features nine players who have averaged at least 10.0 minutes per game.

 

DOUBLED UP

UCLA had twice the number of shot attempts (80 to 40) as Southern Utah in an 88-43 triumph in Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday, Nov. 26. This marked the second occurrence since the 1970-71 season in which the Bruins achieved this feat, having at least double the shot attempts compared to their rival (over 1,725 games). Previously, UCLA outshot Oregon State in Corvallis, 81 to 40 (shot attempts), in a 65-63 defeat on Jan. 7, 1999. In this season’s home win over Southern Utah, the Bruins shot 38-for-80 (47.5%) while Southern Utah made only 14 of 40 shot attempts (35.0%).

 

CONSECUTIVE THREE-POINTERS

UCLA has successfully made at least one 3-pointer in each of its last 44 contests. The Bruins went 0-for-6 from long range in a 78-58 victory against Long Island University early last season in Pauley Pavilion (on Nov. 15, 2023). That match ended a streak of 792 consecutive games where UCLA had made at least one 3-pointer. This 3-point streak commenced after the Bruins concluded 0-for-14 from beyond the arc in a home defeat to No. 2 Stanford (78-63) on Feb. 3, 2000. The Bruins’ single-game 3-point record is 19 made 3-pointers (going 19-for-31) in a 104-89 win at Colorado on Jan. 12, 2017.

 

ROAD WARRIORS

Since the inception of the 2021-22 season, UCLA has amassed a 37-26 record in 63 games played away from home. Over the last two seasons, UCLA has recorded a 21-16 record in games played off-campus (14-6 in 2022-23, 7-10 in 2023-24). Earlier this season, the Bruins secured a 73-71 victory at No. 12 Oregon on Sunday, Dec. 8. This marked UCLA’s first victory on the road against a top-20-ranked team since an 87-60 win at No. 20-ranked Maryland on Dec. 14, 2022.