It’s a big week in Westwood.
Preparations are beginning in and out of Pauley Pavilion as students begin to camp out for seats and the Bruins ready to face a Trojan team that will now boast one of their leaders.
To close out this season’s edition of the rivalry, UCLA men’s basketball (14-12, 9-6 Pac-12) will host USC (10-16, 4-11) on Saturday night in Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins are entering the contest 1-0 against the Trojans this season and have the opportunity to sweep their crosstown rival for the first time in the coach Mick Cronin era.
However, one significant addition will occur Saturday – the presence of USC guard Isaiah Collier.
Collier – the second-leading scorer and leader in assists for USC – missed the first of the two rivalry contests due to injury. In games with Collier, the Trojans are 9-11; without him, they’re 1-5.
Sophomore guard Dylan Andrews said the level of expertise Collier brings to USC elevates his team and even compared his impact to the effects of the Bruins’ sophomore Adem Bona.
“Having a player like that on your team, (it’s) always going to bring it (the level of play) up,” Andrews said. “That’s like us playing without Bona and us playing with Bona. We’re a different team.”
As for Bona, the forward/center has his own difficulties staying on the floor – but not for injury reasons.
Bona currently averages 3.6 fouls per game and has received at least three fouls in all of the Bruins’ last five games, picking up at least four in four of those matchups. Bona said he’s been working with his coaches cut to analyze how he can limit his fouls and stay on the floor.
“I get in a lot of foul trouble in games,” Bona said. “The team needs me a lot to be able to just stay away from it.”
With the task of guarding Collier on the horizon, Andrews – who’s led a defensive charge lately – said he is unsure whether he will be selected to guard Collier or other USC guard Boogie Ellis, but is prepared for either option.
While he opted not to reveal who will take on either of USC’s leaders, Cronin said he’s aware that they’ll be facing a different team this time around.
“Well, Collier’s the guy,” Cronin said. “You know because he’s got the ball most of the time, they’re a different team now that he’s back playing the whole game predominantly.”
USC recently took down Utah in the Galen Center by a four-point margin, largely thanks to a 15-point, five-rebound performance from Collier.
As for the team on the other side of the city, UCLA is most recently coming off of a loss of its own against Utah – the Bruins’ first loss in their last seven games. The defeat – despite coming by just one point – signaled a setback for the Bruins’ hopes of receiving a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Cronin said his team’s culture won’t accept a moral victory and is instead looking to resume winning ways.
“The minute you accept defeat, you’re in trouble,” Cronin said. “To me, it just can’t be okay (to lose) for any reason, you can’t let that permeate into your team, into your building, into your culture.”
Comments are closed.