Game Day Essentials: Game #14 vs #15 UCLA

UCLA

Head Coach: Mick Cronin (6th year)
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Bruins

Mascot: Joe & Josephine (Josie) Bruin

Shirt Not to Wear: Blue, Gold

Last time out: Beat Gonzaga

Line: Nebraska by 1.5

Rotation Depth: 8+

Nota bene:  

• 40+ Nebraska alumni are expected at the game and will be honored at half time
• The Huskers are 2-6 against UCLA all-time and last faced off in 2016.  The last time UCLA came to Lincoln was in 1955 when first year Nebraska coach Jerry Bush, Fred Hoiberg's grandfather, came away victorious with a 71-65 win
• This is Mick Cronin's 2nd trip to Nebraska. While Cronin was the coach of Cincinnati, the Huskers were able to outlast the Bearcats 56-55 in 2OT in 2014
• UCLA currently has KenPom's 4th best defense fueled by KenPom's #1 TO% defense. 
• Former Bellevue West star William Kyle plays for the Bruins though will be unavailable for this game as he recovers from a medical procedure
• Berke Buyuktuncel transferred to Nebraska from UCLA
• Rollie Worster is 6 points away from 1,000 career points
• With a win Nebraska would tie their record of 20 consecutive home wins

Player to watch: Tyler Bilodeau

The Junior post player is one of several high level portal acquisitions the Bruins made in the off-season. Cronin has Bilodeau playing at the 5 where he's often a mis-match with his ability to hit from 3.

Player to watch: Kobe Johnson

The USC transfer is more of a glue-guy type player but he's likely the man to draw the task of slowing down Brice Williams. He leads the Bruins in steals and assists.

UCLA Roster

Roster/infirmary report

2    Guard    Ahron Ulis     6-3    190 lbs    Senior (Game-time decision)

Possible starters for Nebraska

3    Guard    Brice Williams     6-7    214 lbs    Senior

4    Forward    Juwan Gary     6-6    226 lbs    Senior

24    Guard    Rollie Worster     6-5    210 lbs    Senior

34    Center    Braxton Meah     7-1    264 lbs    Senior

9    Forward    Berke Büyüktuncel     6-10    244 lbs   

Bench

0    Guard    Connor Essegian     6-4    190 lbs    Junior

1    Guard    Sam Hoiberg     6-0    185 lbs    Junior

23    Forward    Andrew Morgan     6-10    242 lbs    Senior 

31    Guard    Cale Jacobsen     6-4    195 lbs    Sophomore

12    Guard    Gavin Griffiths     6-7    193 lbs    Sophomore

5    Forward    Braden Frager     6-7    220 lbs    Freshman
8    Guard    Jeffrey Grace III     6-3    200 lbs    Junior
20    Forward    Justin Bolis     6-8    225 lbs    Sophomore
25    Guard    Nick Janowski     6-4    208 lbs    Freshman

35    Forward    Henry Burt     6-7    222 lbs    Sophomore

Out for year
51    Forward    Rienk Mast     6-10    260 lbs    Senior

Hoiberg/Williams Presser

Good listen as far as pressers go. Hoiberg emphasizes the turnover prowess of UCLA's defense 

The Skinny: 

Opportunity abounds in the B1G schedule for a Nebraska team who currently is without a Quad 1 win. UCLA represents an opportunity to obtain one of these wins on the Husker's home court as the Bruins seemed poised to finish towards the top of the conference.

This projects to be a close game and physical game as both teams currently sport top 20 KenPom defenses and top 100 height. Nebraska is going to turn the ball over...it's more a matter of if this number is manageable enough for Nebraska to put itself into a position to win. Given how low scoring and close this game could be, Nebraska can't afford to give up easy points via turnovers. The Bruins will force Nebraska to move the ball around much like Southern and the Fred Hoiberg's Huskers are capable most days. Any offense Nebraska can generate at the FT line will be quite helpful.

While there should be concern about UCLA creating mis-matches with their post players and with UCLA shooting well from 3, Nebraska likely sticks to their game plan of doubling the post and scrambling as UCLA isn't a team that wants to shoot 3s. 

In a season where Nebraska doesn't have many strong wins, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, not B1G home loses

Prediction: Nebraska 67 - UCLA 64