The Bruins are set to begin their Final Four honeymoon with one thing they were missing a year ago: a home crowd.
“We had our crazy run last year, which was cool, but they (fans) didn’t really get to be a part of it like they can this year,” said sophomore guard Jaylen Clark. “It’s just cool to play in front of fans. It’s the reason we all do it.”
No. 2 UCLA men’s basketball will be back at a fan-filled Pauley Pavilion for the first time in over a year and a half when it takes on Chico State in an exhibition game Thursday night. The last time the blue and gold hosted an audience was when it swept Arizona State and Arizona in a weekend homestand in February 2020.
Clark, who said his last time seeing a Bruin home crowd was as a spectator in the win over the Sun Devils nearly two years ago, added that he is itching to get back on the hardwood.
“(I’m) super eager,” Clark said. “We all wake up in the morning, come to practice, stay late nights, early mornings. That’s all what it’s for right here.”
UCLA’s opponent will also be experiencing a first when the ball is tipped Thursday. Chico State – a Division II school – did not compete last season after the California Collegiate Athletic Association canceled all sports competitions for the 2020-2021 school year, meaning the Bruins will be the Wildcats’ first opponent in 608 days.
In its most recent season in 2019-2020, Chico State went 23-7 before losing in the semifinals of the CCAA tournament.
Despite the fact that the game won’t count against either team’s records, coach Mick Cronin said facing a new team after months of offseason practices won’t only be beneficial for the players on both sides but also for the respective coaching staffs.
“When you intrasquad scrimmage, the defense is so bad after five minutes because there’s no subs, so everybody’s tired, so you don’t really get real resistance,” Cronin said. “If you’re able to get some film, then you can assess, … ‘What do we need to do to get better at? What areas do I need to improve and clean up? How can I coach these guys better?’”
The Bruins did get to play at least one unique opponent in the offseason, however, as UCLA is coming off a closed-door scrimmage against San Diego State on Saturday – a game Cronin said the blue and gold “theoretically” won.
Even with the hypothetical victory, the third-year coach said he isn’t evaluating his team based on results in these early-season battles.
“You have to evaluate how you’re playing based on the way you’re playing, not the result,” Cronin said. “You can play poorly and win. … Although the score might have been theoretically in our favor, we’re not going to evaluate that. We evaluate what we need to do to get better regardless of result.”
Cronin added that he has yet to land on a starting five for the game against Chico State, noting that the lineup will be fluid throughout the campaign and will feature a multitude of different five-man squads to open games.
But unlike a season ago, UCLA will have one consistent sixth man throughout the year with its home audience.
According to senior guard David Singleton, having that constant source of energy back will make all the difference.
“It means everything to me to be back in Pauley, to have fans, to have excitement in the crowd,” Singleton said. “Especially in my senior year, it’s something more.”
