Thirteen spots higher. Three seasons in the making.
No. 9 UCLA men’s basketball (2-0) will have the chance to preserve its undefeated season start when it hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-2) at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday evening.
After entering the season ranked No. 22, the Bruins climbed in the AP poll to their highest ranking since the Jaime Jaquez Jr.-led squad finished the 2022-23 season at No. 7. With four consecutive upcoming matchups heavily favoring the Bruins, coach Mick Cronin’s team has an opportunity to build on its early momentum and cement its place among the nation’s top 10.
The early success has been highlighted by two true freshmen – guard/forwards Nikola Kusturica and Joe Philon III – both of whom have made immediate contributions in UCLA’s first two contests. Kusturica leads the team with 19 points per game, highlighted by a 29-point performance against North Florida on Friday in which he shot 83.3% from the field and 66.7% from beyond the arc – including a perfect 9-for-9 clip in the first half.
[Related: UCLA men’s basketball dominates North Florida 114-63 in lopsided home win]
“We just stay together,” Kusturica said. “We’re a really, really good group, and we just stay together and keep each others’ heads up. Before the Arizona game, we said, ‘No matter what happens, we’re going to stay together. We’re going to try to build our lead back up if we’re down, and if we’re up, we’re just going to keep going.’”
The 17-year-old also contributed six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the Bruins’ 114-63 victory Friday. His offensive production followed a nine-point, three-block performance against then-No. 5 Arizona in UCLA’s season opener.
Philon is averaging 12 points per game at a team-high 90% clip from the field through two appearances. The freshman delivered 17 points against North Florida, going 6-for-7 from the field while drilling all three of his 3-pointers. He also recorded five steals against the Ospreys.
Together, the two freshmen average 31 points per game, providing the Westwood squad with an emerging young core as it observes a strong start to the season.
Cronin lauded the two freshmen Friday for being able to defend and protect the ball at a high level.
“Usually, freshmen – no matter how talented they are – have to go through this,” Cronin said. “Sometimes it takes a guy until he’s a junior to be able to do those two things at a high level in college basketball.”
UCLA ranks No. 2 nationally in ESPN’s strength of record metric and No. 11 in the Basketball Power Index, climbing seven spots from its preseason position.
On the other side of the matchup, Arkansas-Pine Bluff has struggled defensively, allowing 107.5 points per game through its first two contests. That mark ranks last among 365 Division I teams, while its -13.7 BPI places the Golden Lions as the fifth-lowest-rated team in the country.
However, these numbers have come against formidable competition. Arkansas-Pine Bluff opened its season with consecutive matchups against then-No. 12 Arkansas and Baylor, facing two high-major programs before traveling to Pauley Pavilion for its third straight away game.
Leading the Golden Lions’ offense is guard Jalen Tatum, who averages a team-high 13.5 points per game. Forward Macaleab Rich has also emerged as a key contributor, averaging 13 points per contest while adding a team-high six rebounds per game.
Despite Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s early struggles, UCLA can maintain the defensive intensity that has fueled its undefeated start. With the Bruins heavily favored, Philon emphasized that the team’s effort remains unchanged regardless of the opponent or the score.
“We have a team of dogs. We have a team of guys who really want to win, like do anything to win,” Philon said. “It’s just not something we turn on and off.”
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