Sunday, December 31, 2017
UCLA to Host Washington on Sunday Evening
dec 30, 2017 | UCLA MEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE |
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LOS ANGELES – UCLA (10-3, 1-0) will host Washington (11-3, 1-0) in Pauley Pavilion on Sunday, Dec. 31. Game time is 5 p.m. (PT). The Bruins have won their last three games and are looking to open their league schedule with a 2-0 record. Last season, UCLA swept the two-game regular-season series against Washington.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion (13,800)
Tipoff Time: 5:06 p.m. (PT)
Television: Pac-12 Network
TV Talent: Jim Watson (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG): AM 1150
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
DOWNLOAD THE UCLA APP
Be sure to download the UCLA Bruins Mobile App to your device, free of charge (download here). The official app of UCLA Athletics allows fans to receive in-game stats and live updates during events. Fans can also sign up to receive push notifications about gameday promotions, game times, live scoring and more. Fans can shop for UCLA gear with one click in addition to getting breaking news from UCLA Athletics. When searching iTunes or Google Play, use the term "UCLA Bruins" for more direct access.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to UCLA's upcoming games by clicking here. To purchase a Bruin Fast Pass, click here to reserve your spot in Pauley Pavilion for only $99. Fans can also secure seats for any of the remaining UCLA home games by calling (310) 206-5991 or visiting uclabruins.com/tickets. Click here to download the men's basketball schedule directly to your calendar.
NEW YEAR'S EVE
The Bruins will close the 2017 calendar year this Sunday evening against Washington, taking on the Huskies in Pauley Pavilion at 5 p.m. (PT). Both UCLA and Washington opened their respective Pac-12 schedules on Friday night with victories – UCLA downed Washington State (96-82) and Washington outlasted USC (88-81). This Sunday's game will be the only regular-season meeting between UCLA and Washington. Last year, the Bruins swept the season series, 2-0, against Washington. UCLA won in Seattle, 107-66, on Feb. 4 before taking down the Huskies in Pauley Pavilion, 98-66, on March 1.
HOLIDAY'S HEROICS
Junior guard Aaron Holiday scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds on Friday, leading UCLA past Washington State, 96-82. The former standout at Campbell Hall High School (North Hollywood, Calif.) was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week (Dec. 18-24) after having averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 assists in last week's wins over South Dakota (Dec. 19) and Kentucky (Dec. 23). He made 11 of 18 shots in the win over Washington State, connecting on each of his five three-point field goal attempts on Friday. Through Dec. 29, Holiday ranked sixth in the Pac-12 in scoring (18.8 ppg).
MOST RECENTLY
In addition to Aaron Holiday totaling 33 points and 11 rebounds in Friday's win over Washington State, Thomas Welshrecorded his team-leading ninth double-double of the season (12 points, 14 rebounds). Jaylen Hands scored 19 points, connecting on 4-of-5 three-pointers, while Kris Wilkes added 14 points and five rebounds. UCLA led Washington State at halftime, 42-37, and built an 11-point lead (56-45) with 14:16 to play, before the Cougars reduced the Bruins' advantage to just two points (64-62) with 9:38 remaining. From that point, UCLA used a 13-2 run to take a 77-64 lead.
1,000 POINT CLUB
Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh each reached the heralded 1,000-career-point milestone in Friday night's win over Washington State. With a 23-point first half, Holiday became the 55th player in program history to have scored 1,000 or more points wearing a UCLA uniform. In the second half of the game, Welsh became the 56th player to achieve that milestone. Holiday's 23 points in the first half on Friday marked the largest first-half point total by a Bruin since Jan. 18, 2017, when Isaac Hamilton erupted for 25 first-half points versus Arizona State (Hamilton finished with 33 total points).
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Five of the Bruins' eight primary rotation players did not see action on the court for UCLA last season. Prince Ali and Alex Olesinski (redshirt sophomores) played as true freshmen in 2015-16 but took redshirt years in 2016-17. Freshmen Jaylen Hands, Chris Smith and Kris Wilkes have played vital roles midway through the Bruins' 2017-18 campaign. Hands (12.8 ppg) and Wilkes (12.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) enter this Sunday's game as UCLA's third and fourth-leading scorers, respectively. Smith has twice scored in double figures, most recently totaling 10 points in the win over South Dakota (Dec. 19).
HE'S OUR PRINCE
Prince Ali enters Sunday evening's game having averaged 9.8 points per game, shooting 45.9 percent from three-point range for the Bruins (17-of-37). The former resident of The Bronx, N.Y., was tied for seventh in the Pac-12 Conference in three-point percentage (through Dec. 29). Ali has connected on at least one three-pointer in nine of the Bruins' 13 games. He spent his four years of high school in Florida, attending The Sagemont School in Weston, Fla., for his final two years. During his junior season, Ali was teammates with then-senior Gyorgy "G.G." Goloman (2013-14).
33 AND 11
Aaron Holiday (33 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists on Friday night) became UCLA's first player to record at least 33 points and 11 rebounds in a game since Feb. 26, 1995. Ed O'Bannon registered team highs of 37 points and 13 rebounds in UCLA's 100-77 victory against Duke in that contest, connecting on 14 of 22 shots from the field. Last season, then-freshman TJ Leaf totaled 32 points and 14 rebounds in the Bruins' 95-79 victory at Washington State (Feb. 4, 2017).
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
Washington will enter Sunday's game at UCLA having logged an 11-3 overall record. Most recently, the Huskies defeated USC, 88-81, at Galen Center on Friday evening in the Pac-12 opener for both teams. Five Huskies scored in double figures in the win at USC, as Noah Dickerson led the way with 17 points. Last season, UCLA swept the season series (2-0) against Washington and won each of the two Pac-12 games by an average of 36.5 points per game. The Huskies currently have four players who are averaging in double-figure scoring (led by freshman Jaylen Nowell at 16.9 ppg).
ONE YEAR AGO
UCLA improved its all-time record to 98-42 against Washington with the pair of wins last season. The Bruins defeated Washington in Seattle, 107-66, on Feb. 4, 2017. During the final weekend of the regular season, UCLA downed the Huskies by a 98-66 margin in Pauley Pavilion (March 1, 2017). The Bruins have won seven of their last nine meetings against Washington and have earned victories in two of the last three meetings in Pauley Pavilion.
LOOKING AT NEXT WEEK
The Bruins will return to the road next week, playing at Stanford on Thursday (Jan. 4) and California on Saturday (Jan. 6). Stanford has gone 6-7 in non-conference action, most recently losing to Kansas (75-54) in Sacramento. The Cardinal were scheduled to face California at Maples Pavilon on Saturday, Dec. 30, to open league play. Under second-year head coach Jerod Haase, the Cardinal have registered non-conference victories over Cal Poly, Pacific, Northeastern, Montana, Denver and San Francisco. Stanford has already played three top-20 ranked teams (Kansas, North Carolina and Florida).
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion (13,800)
Tipoff Time: 5:06 p.m. (PT)
Television: Pac-12 Network
TV Talent: Jim Watson (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG): AM 1150
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
DOWNLOAD THE UCLA APP
Be sure to download the UCLA Bruins Mobile App to your device, free of charge (download here). The official app of UCLA Athletics allows fans to receive in-game stats and live updates during events. Fans can also sign up to receive push notifications about gameday promotions, game times, live scoring and more. Fans can shop for UCLA gear with one click in addition to getting breaking news from UCLA Athletics. When searching iTunes or Google Play, use the term "UCLA Bruins" for more direct access.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to UCLA's upcoming games by clicking here. To purchase a Bruin Fast Pass, click here to reserve your spot in Pauley Pavilion for only $99. Fans can also secure seats for any of the remaining UCLA home games by calling (310) 206-5991 or visiting uclabruins.com/tickets. Click here to download the men's basketball schedule directly to your calendar.
NEW YEAR'S EVE
The Bruins will close the 2017 calendar year this Sunday evening against Washington, taking on the Huskies in Pauley Pavilion at 5 p.m. (PT). Both UCLA and Washington opened their respective Pac-12 schedules on Friday night with victories – UCLA downed Washington State (96-82) and Washington outlasted USC (88-81). This Sunday's game will be the only regular-season meeting between UCLA and Washington. Last year, the Bruins swept the season series, 2-0, against Washington. UCLA won in Seattle, 107-66, on Feb. 4 before taking down the Huskies in Pauley Pavilion, 98-66, on March 1.
HOLIDAY'S HEROICS
Junior guard Aaron Holiday scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds on Friday, leading UCLA past Washington State, 96-82. The former standout at Campbell Hall High School (North Hollywood, Calif.) was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week (Dec. 18-24) after having averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 assists in last week's wins over South Dakota (Dec. 19) and Kentucky (Dec. 23). He made 11 of 18 shots in the win over Washington State, connecting on each of his five three-point field goal attempts on Friday. Through Dec. 29, Holiday ranked sixth in the Pac-12 in scoring (18.8 ppg).
MOST RECENTLY
In addition to Aaron Holiday totaling 33 points and 11 rebounds in Friday's win over Washington State, Thomas Welshrecorded his team-leading ninth double-double of the season (12 points, 14 rebounds). Jaylen Hands scored 19 points, connecting on 4-of-5 three-pointers, while Kris Wilkes added 14 points and five rebounds. UCLA led Washington State at halftime, 42-37, and built an 11-point lead (56-45) with 14:16 to play, before the Cougars reduced the Bruins' advantage to just two points (64-62) with 9:38 remaining. From that point, UCLA used a 13-2 run to take a 77-64 lead.
1,000 POINT CLUB
Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh each reached the heralded 1,000-career-point milestone in Friday night's win over Washington State. With a 23-point first half, Holiday became the 55th player in program history to have scored 1,000 or more points wearing a UCLA uniform. In the second half of the game, Welsh became the 56th player to achieve that milestone. Holiday's 23 points in the first half on Friday marked the largest first-half point total by a Bruin since Jan. 18, 2017, when Isaac Hamilton erupted for 25 first-half points versus Arizona State (Hamilton finished with 33 total points).
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Five of the Bruins' eight primary rotation players did not see action on the court for UCLA last season. Prince Ali and Alex Olesinski (redshirt sophomores) played as true freshmen in 2015-16 but took redshirt years in 2016-17. Freshmen Jaylen Hands, Chris Smith and Kris Wilkes have played vital roles midway through the Bruins' 2017-18 campaign. Hands (12.8 ppg) and Wilkes (12.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) enter this Sunday's game as UCLA's third and fourth-leading scorers, respectively. Smith has twice scored in double figures, most recently totaling 10 points in the win over South Dakota (Dec. 19).
HE'S OUR PRINCE
Prince Ali enters Sunday evening's game having averaged 9.8 points per game, shooting 45.9 percent from three-point range for the Bruins (17-of-37). The former resident of The Bronx, N.Y., was tied for seventh in the Pac-12 Conference in three-point percentage (through Dec. 29). Ali has connected on at least one three-pointer in nine of the Bruins' 13 games. He spent his four years of high school in Florida, attending The Sagemont School in Weston, Fla., for his final two years. During his junior season, Ali was teammates with then-senior Gyorgy "G.G." Goloman (2013-14).
33 AND 11
Aaron Holiday (33 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists on Friday night) became UCLA's first player to record at least 33 points and 11 rebounds in a game since Feb. 26, 1995. Ed O'Bannon registered team highs of 37 points and 13 rebounds in UCLA's 100-77 victory against Duke in that contest, connecting on 14 of 22 shots from the field. Last season, then-freshman TJ Leaf totaled 32 points and 14 rebounds in the Bruins' 95-79 victory at Washington State (Feb. 4, 2017).
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
Washington will enter Sunday's game at UCLA having logged an 11-3 overall record. Most recently, the Huskies defeated USC, 88-81, at Galen Center on Friday evening in the Pac-12 opener for both teams. Five Huskies scored in double figures in the win at USC, as Noah Dickerson led the way with 17 points. Last season, UCLA swept the season series (2-0) against Washington and won each of the two Pac-12 games by an average of 36.5 points per game. The Huskies currently have four players who are averaging in double-figure scoring (led by freshman Jaylen Nowell at 16.9 ppg).
ONE YEAR AGO
UCLA improved its all-time record to 98-42 against Washington with the pair of wins last season. The Bruins defeated Washington in Seattle, 107-66, on Feb. 4, 2017. During the final weekend of the regular season, UCLA downed the Huskies by a 98-66 margin in Pauley Pavilion (March 1, 2017). The Bruins have won seven of their last nine meetings against Washington and have earned victories in two of the last three meetings in Pauley Pavilion.
LOOKING AT NEXT WEEK
The Bruins will return to the road next week, playing at Stanford on Thursday (Jan. 4) and California on Saturday (Jan. 6). Stanford has gone 6-7 in non-conference action, most recently losing to Kansas (75-54) in Sacramento. The Cardinal were scheduled to face California at Maples Pavilon on Saturday, Dec. 30, to open league play. Under second-year head coach Jerod Haase, the Cardinal have registered non-conference victories over Cal Poly, Pacific, Northeastern, Montana, Denver and San Francisco. Stanford has already played three top-20 ranked teams (Kansas, North Carolina and Florida).
Saturday, December 30, 2017
UCLA Opens Pac-12 Play With 96-82 Win Over WSU
dec 29, 2017 | UCLA MEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE |
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LOS ANGELES – Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh each joined 1,000-point club and recorded double-doubles to lead UCLA to a 96-82 win over Washington State in the Pac-12 opener on Friday night.
Holiday, a 6-foot-1 guard from nearby Chatsworth, Calif., led all players with a career-high 33 points, including 23 in the first half. He also finished with a career-best 11 rebounds, four assists and zero turnovers in the Bruins' third straight.
"I thought we scored at a very high level and valued the basketball with only seven turnovers in our conference opener at home," UCLA head coach Steve Alford said. "We had some good growth tonight."
Holiday became the 55th UCLA player to record 1,000 career points, doing so on a three-pointer with 7:42 remaining in the first half to give UCLA a 27-22 lead.
With 33 points, including a career-high five three-pointers made, Holiday recorded his first double-double of the year and second of his career.
Welsh joined Holiday in the 1,000-point club in the second half, earning his 1,000th career point on a free throw to put UCLA up 81-71 with 3:16 to play. The senior center from nearby Redondo Beach, Calif., finished the game with 12 points and 14 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the year (the 28th double-double of his career).
"They've been playing well all year," Coach Alford said about Welsh and Holiday. "You just want them to be successful and keep growing. You look at their lines – Thomas had another double-double with three assists and no turnovers, while Aaron scores 33, has 11 rebounds with four assists and no turnovers."
With the win on Friday evening, UCLA improved to 43-5 against Washington State since the start of the 1993-94 season.
UCLA (10-3, 1-0 Pac-12) used a 6-0 run early in the second half to turn a three-point advantage into a quick nine-point lead, but Washington State (8-5, 0-1) stayed close thanks to three-point shooting by Carter Skaggs, who hit four three-pointers in four and a half minutes to close to within two, 64-62, with 9:38 to play.
The Bruins followed with a 13-2 scoring run that culminated with back-to-back three-pointers and a layup by Hands, extending UCLA's cushion to 77-64 with 5:07 to play.
UCLA led Washington State throughout the first half. The Bruins scored the game's first points before using a 6-0 run to lead, 14-5, after a layup by Holiday, a three-pointer from Holiday and a layup from Welsh.
Washington State got to within one, 29-28, with 5:33 to play in the half, but back-to-back three-pointers by Holiday and Kris Wilkes helped solidify UCLA's lead, and the Bruins went into the half up 42-37.
Joining Holiday and Welsh in double-figure scoring were Hands (19 points) and Wilkes (14 points).
Robert Franks led Washington State with 20 points and eight rebounds.
UCLA will close out its 2017 calendar year on Sunday evening, hosting Washington State on New Year's Eve. Game time in Pauley Pavilion is 5 p.m. (PT). UCLA's game against the Huskies (11-3, 1-0) will be televised by the Pac-12 Network. The radio broadcast will be available in the Los Angeles area on AM 1150.
Holiday, a 6-foot-1 guard from nearby Chatsworth, Calif., led all players with a career-high 33 points, including 23 in the first half. He also finished with a career-best 11 rebounds, four assists and zero turnovers in the Bruins' third straight.
"I thought we scored at a very high level and valued the basketball with only seven turnovers in our conference opener at home," UCLA head coach Steve Alford said. "We had some good growth tonight."
Holiday became the 55th UCLA player to record 1,000 career points, doing so on a three-pointer with 7:42 remaining in the first half to give UCLA a 27-22 lead.
With 33 points, including a career-high five three-pointers made, Holiday recorded his first double-double of the year and second of his career.
Welsh joined Holiday in the 1,000-point club in the second half, earning his 1,000th career point on a free throw to put UCLA up 81-71 with 3:16 to play. The senior center from nearby Redondo Beach, Calif., finished the game with 12 points and 14 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the year (the 28th double-double of his career).
"They've been playing well all year," Coach Alford said about Welsh and Holiday. "You just want them to be successful and keep growing. You look at their lines – Thomas had another double-double with three assists and no turnovers, while Aaron scores 33, has 11 rebounds with four assists and no turnovers."
With the win on Friday evening, UCLA improved to 43-5 against Washington State since the start of the 1993-94 season.
UCLA (10-3, 1-0 Pac-12) used a 6-0 run early in the second half to turn a three-point advantage into a quick nine-point lead, but Washington State (8-5, 0-1) stayed close thanks to three-point shooting by Carter Skaggs, who hit four three-pointers in four and a half minutes to close to within two, 64-62, with 9:38 to play.
The Bruins followed with a 13-2 scoring run that culminated with back-to-back three-pointers and a layup by Hands, extending UCLA's cushion to 77-64 with 5:07 to play.
UCLA led Washington State throughout the first half. The Bruins scored the game's first points before using a 6-0 run to lead, 14-5, after a layup by Holiday, a three-pointer from Holiday and a layup from Welsh.
Washington State got to within one, 29-28, with 5:33 to play in the half, but back-to-back three-pointers by Holiday and Kris Wilkes helped solidify UCLA's lead, and the Bruins went into the half up 42-37.
Joining Holiday and Welsh in double-figure scoring were Hands (19 points) and Wilkes (14 points).
Robert Franks led Washington State with 20 points and eight rebounds.
UCLA will close out its 2017 calendar year on Sunday evening, hosting Washington State on New Year's Eve. Game time in Pauley Pavilion is 5 p.m. (PT). UCLA's game against the Huskies (11-3, 1-0) will be televised by the Pac-12 Network. The radio broadcast will be available in the Los Angeles area on AM 1150.
The Box
Friday, December 29, 2017
UCLA to Host Washington State on Friday
The Bruins (9-3) are opening Pac-12 play on Friday against Washington State (8-4).
LOS ANGELES – UCLA (9-3) will open Pac-12 play against Washington State (8-4) on Friday in Pauley Pavilion. Game time is 8 p.m. (PT). This will mark the first season in which UCLA has opened its league schedule at home since the 2013-14 season (Steve Alford's first year as the Bruins' head coach). UCLA swept the season series against Washington State last season, winning 95-79 in Pullman, Wash., before closing the regular season with a 77-68 win in Pauley Pavilion against the Cougars. UCLA has won four of its last five games against Washington State. Since the start of the 1993-94 season, UCLA has gone 42-5 against the Cougars.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion (13,800)
Game Time: 8 p.m. (PT)
Television: ESPN2
TV Talent: Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play), Bill Walton (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG): AM 1150
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS/XM Channels: Ch. 81/Ch. 81
SIRIUS App. Channel: Ch. 81
DOWNLOAD THE UCLA APP
Be sure to download the UCLA Bruins Mobile App to your device, free of charge (download here). The official app of UCLA Athletics allows fans to receive in-game stats and live updates during events. Fans can also sign up to receive push notifications about gameday promotions, game times, live scoring and more. Fans can shop for UCLA gear with one click in addition to getting breaking news from UCLA Athletics. When searching iTunes or Google Play, use the term "UCLA Bruins" for more direct access.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to UCLA's upcoming games by clicking here. To purchase a Bruin Fast Pass, click here to reserve your spot in Pauley Pavilion for only $99. Fans can also secure seats for any of the remaining UCLA home games by calling (310) 206-5991 or visiting uclabruins.com/tickets. Click here to download the men's basketball schedule directly to your calendar.
IN PAULEY PAVILION
UCLA has won its last seven games against Washington State in Pauley Pavilion. The Cougars last defeated UCLA on the Bruins' home court during the 2008-09 season (Washington State won 82-81 on Feb. 21, 2009). The Bruins have gone 11-1 against Washington State in Pauley Pavilion since the start of the 2004-05 season. UCLA will not play at either Washington State or Washington this season.
BRUINS IMPROVE TO 9-3
Aaron Holiday and Kris Wilkes each scored 20 points to lead UCLA past No. 7 Kentucky, 83-75, in New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 23. UCLA improved its record against Kentucky to 3-2 over the last four seasons. The Bruins have won each regular-season meeting against Kentucky the last three years – in Dec. 2015 (Pauley Pavilion), Dec. 2016 (Rupp Arena), Dec. 2017 (New Orleans). Dating back to UCLA's win over the Wildcats on Dec. 3, 2015, the Bruins have gone 6-2 in their last eight games versus top-10 ranked teams. Holiday scored eight of UCLA's final 12 points in the last 2:30 in last Saturday's win.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior guard Aaron Holiday has been named the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career. Holiday, who has averaged 17.6 points per game this season, totaled 20 points in UCLA's win against Kentucky on Saturday after having registered 15 points last Tuesday against South Dakota. Holiday has scored at least 10 points per game in all but one game for UCLA this season (11 of 12 contests).
LAST WEEK
UCLA won non-conference games against South Dakota on Tuesday (85-82) and Kentucky (83-75) on Saturday to enter Pac-12 play with a 9-3 record. Aaron Holiday averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds in the Bruins' two victories, shooting 10-for-12 at the free throw line. He scored 15 points in the win against South Dakota before totaling 20 points in the victory over Kentucky. Holiday and Thomas Welsh have become the only UCLA players (and Pac-12 players) to have ever played in at least three wins over Kentucky during their collegiate careers.
NEARING 1,000
Senior center Thomas Welsh and junior guard Aaron Holiday are nearing the 1,000-career-point plateau. Welsh will enter Friday night's home game having totaled 989 career points (needing 11 more to reach 1,000 points). Holiday has totaled 983 points and stands 17 shy of tying the 1,000-point mark. UCLA's program has 54 former players who have scored at least 1,000 career points while wearing the Bruins' uniform. Early last season, Isaac Hamilton became the 54th Bruin to have reached the illustrious 1,000 career-point plateau (vs. Portland on Nov. 24 in Fullerton, Calif.).
MAKING THEIR MARK
Aaron Holiday (983 career points, 352 career assists) is close to becoming the 13th UCLA player on record to have recorded at least 1,000 points and 300 assists in his UCLA career. Thomas Welsh (989 career points, 805 career rebounds) is on pace to become UCLA's 12th player with at least 1,000 points and 800 rebounds. The most recent UCLA player to reach the 1,000-point/800-rebound benchmark was Dan Gadzuric in 2001-02.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Five of the Bruins' eight primary rotation players did not see action on the court for UCLA last season. Prince Ali and Alex Olesinski (redshirt sophomores) played as true freshmen in 2015-16 but took redshirt years in 2016-17. Freshmen Jaylen Hands, Chris Smith and Kris Wilkes have played vital roles midway through the Bruins' 2017-18 campaign. Wilkes (12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Hands (12.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg) will enter the weekend as UCLA's third and fourth-leading scorers, respectively. Smith has twice scored in double figures, most recently totaling 10 points in the win over South Dakota (Dec. 19).
HE'S OUR PRINCE
Prince Ali enters Friday's game having averaged 10.3 points per game, shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range (16-for-32). The former resident of The Bronx, N.Y., was tied for third among all Pac-12 players in three-point field goal percentage (through Dec. 25). Ali spent his four years of high school in Florida, attending The Sagemont School in Weston, Fla., for his final two years. During his junior season at Sagemont, Ali was teammates with then-senior Gyorgy "G.G." Goloman (2013-14). Ali missed last season recovering from a torn meniscus (left knee).
ABOUT THE COUGARS
Washington State will enter Friday evening's matchup against UCLA having compiled an 8-4 overall record. The Cougars won the 2017 Wooden Legacy (at Cal State Fullerton) with consecutive victories against Saint Joseph's (75-71), Saint Mary's (84-79) and San Diego State (93-86). Most recently, Washington State defeated Bethune-Cookman, 86-58, by outscoring the visiting Wildcats in the second half, 48-16. Junior forward Robert Franks has averaged a team-leading 18.1 points per game, while sophomore guard Malachi Flynn has registered 15.8 points a team-best 4.4 assists per game.
ONE YEAR AGO
UCLA improved its all-time record to 106-17 against Washington State last season by sweeping the two-game series. The Bruins handed Washington State a 95-79 defeat up north in Pullman, Wash. (Feb. 1, 2017) in a game that saw then-freshman TJ Leaf score 32 points and grab 14 rebounds. Nearly one month later, UCLA downed the Cougars in Pauley Pavilion, 77-68, in the final regular-season contest for both teams.
HUSKIES ON DECK
Two days after UCLA opens its Pac-12 schedule against Washington State, the Bruins will take on Washington in a New Year's Eve contest (Dec. 31 at 5 p.m., PT). Under the leadership of first-year head coach Mike Hopkins, Washington has compiled a 10-3 record. The Huskies will face USC on Friday, Dec. 29, before heading to play the Bruins in Pauley Pavilion. Last year, UCLA defeated Washington in Seattle, 107-66, on Feb. 4 before recording a 98-66 victory in Pauley Pavilion on March 1. Bryce Alford scored a game-high 29 points in the win at UCLA, making 8 of 14 attempts from three-point range.
CENTURY MARK
Steve Alford has become the sixth head coach in Westwood to have logged at least 100 career wins as UCLA's head coach. Now with 105 wins at UCLA, Alford secured win No. 100 against Wisconsin on Nov. 21. He led UCLA to 31 victories last season and has joined a list of 100-plus-win UCLA head coaches that features Caddy Works (1921-1939), John Wooden (1948-1975), Jim Harrick (1988-1996), Steve Lavin (1996-2003) and Ben Howland (2003-2013). Alford has compiled a 105-48 record in just over four seasons as the program's head coach (68.6 win percentage in games with UCLA).
MOVIN' ON UP
Thomas Welsh ranks third on the school's all-time blocked shots list (130), having surpassed Charles O'Bannon (118) for the No. 3 slot earlier this season. The top two spots on UCLA's career blocks list are occupied by Jelani McCoy (188) and Dan Gadzuric (184). McCoy played at UCLA from 1995-98, while Gadzuric starred for the Bruins from 1999-2002. Welsh currently ranks No. 9 on the school's all-time field goal percentage list (55.2 percent overall). Please note, UCLA's official "blocked shot" statistic has only been tracked on a consistent basis since the 1978-79 season.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion (13,800)
Game Time: 8 p.m. (PT)
Television: ESPN2
TV Talent: Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play), Bill Walton (analyst)
Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG): AM 1150
Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SIRIUS/XM Channels: Ch. 81/Ch. 81
SIRIUS App. Channel: Ch. 81
DOWNLOAD THE UCLA APP
Be sure to download the UCLA Bruins Mobile App to your device, free of charge (download here). The official app of UCLA Athletics allows fans to receive in-game stats and live updates during events. Fans can also sign up to receive push notifications about gameday promotions, game times, live scoring and more. Fans can shop for UCLA gear with one click in addition to getting breaking news from UCLA Athletics. When searching iTunes or Google Play, use the term "UCLA Bruins" for more direct access.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to UCLA's upcoming games by clicking here. To purchase a Bruin Fast Pass, click here to reserve your spot in Pauley Pavilion for only $99. Fans can also secure seats for any of the remaining UCLA home games by calling (310) 206-5991 or visiting uclabruins.com/tickets. Click here to download the men's basketball schedule directly to your calendar.
IN PAULEY PAVILION
UCLA has won its last seven games against Washington State in Pauley Pavilion. The Cougars last defeated UCLA on the Bruins' home court during the 2008-09 season (Washington State won 82-81 on Feb. 21, 2009). The Bruins have gone 11-1 against Washington State in Pauley Pavilion since the start of the 2004-05 season. UCLA will not play at either Washington State or Washington this season.
BRUINS IMPROVE TO 9-3
Aaron Holiday and Kris Wilkes each scored 20 points to lead UCLA past No. 7 Kentucky, 83-75, in New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 23. UCLA improved its record against Kentucky to 3-2 over the last four seasons. The Bruins have won each regular-season meeting against Kentucky the last three years – in Dec. 2015 (Pauley Pavilion), Dec. 2016 (Rupp Arena), Dec. 2017 (New Orleans). Dating back to UCLA's win over the Wildcats on Dec. 3, 2015, the Bruins have gone 6-2 in their last eight games versus top-10 ranked teams. Holiday scored eight of UCLA's final 12 points in the last 2:30 in last Saturday's win.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior guard Aaron Holiday has been named the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career. Holiday, who has averaged 17.6 points per game this season, totaled 20 points in UCLA's win against Kentucky on Saturday after having registered 15 points last Tuesday against South Dakota. Holiday has scored at least 10 points per game in all but one game for UCLA this season (11 of 12 contests).
LAST WEEK
UCLA won non-conference games against South Dakota on Tuesday (85-82) and Kentucky (83-75) on Saturday to enter Pac-12 play with a 9-3 record. Aaron Holiday averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds in the Bruins' two victories, shooting 10-for-12 at the free throw line. He scored 15 points in the win against South Dakota before totaling 20 points in the victory over Kentucky. Holiday and Thomas Welsh have become the only UCLA players (and Pac-12 players) to have ever played in at least three wins over Kentucky during their collegiate careers.
NEARING 1,000
Senior center Thomas Welsh and junior guard Aaron Holiday are nearing the 1,000-career-point plateau. Welsh will enter Friday night's home game having totaled 989 career points (needing 11 more to reach 1,000 points). Holiday has totaled 983 points and stands 17 shy of tying the 1,000-point mark. UCLA's program has 54 former players who have scored at least 1,000 career points while wearing the Bruins' uniform. Early last season, Isaac Hamilton became the 54th Bruin to have reached the illustrious 1,000 career-point plateau (vs. Portland on Nov. 24 in Fullerton, Calif.).
MAKING THEIR MARK
Aaron Holiday (983 career points, 352 career assists) is close to becoming the 13th UCLA player on record to have recorded at least 1,000 points and 300 assists in his UCLA career. Thomas Welsh (989 career points, 805 career rebounds) is on pace to become UCLA's 12th player with at least 1,000 points and 800 rebounds. The most recent UCLA player to reach the 1,000-point/800-rebound benchmark was Dan Gadzuric in 2001-02.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Five of the Bruins' eight primary rotation players did not see action on the court for UCLA last season. Prince Ali and Alex Olesinski (redshirt sophomores) played as true freshmen in 2015-16 but took redshirt years in 2016-17. Freshmen Jaylen Hands, Chris Smith and Kris Wilkes have played vital roles midway through the Bruins' 2017-18 campaign. Wilkes (12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Hands (12.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg) will enter the weekend as UCLA's third and fourth-leading scorers, respectively. Smith has twice scored in double figures, most recently totaling 10 points in the win over South Dakota (Dec. 19).
HE'S OUR PRINCE
Prince Ali enters Friday's game having averaged 10.3 points per game, shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range (16-for-32). The former resident of The Bronx, N.Y., was tied for third among all Pac-12 players in three-point field goal percentage (through Dec. 25). Ali spent his four years of high school in Florida, attending The Sagemont School in Weston, Fla., for his final two years. During his junior season at Sagemont, Ali was teammates with then-senior Gyorgy "G.G." Goloman (2013-14). Ali missed last season recovering from a torn meniscus (left knee).
ABOUT THE COUGARS
Washington State will enter Friday evening's matchup against UCLA having compiled an 8-4 overall record. The Cougars won the 2017 Wooden Legacy (at Cal State Fullerton) with consecutive victories against Saint Joseph's (75-71), Saint Mary's (84-79) and San Diego State (93-86). Most recently, Washington State defeated Bethune-Cookman, 86-58, by outscoring the visiting Wildcats in the second half, 48-16. Junior forward Robert Franks has averaged a team-leading 18.1 points per game, while sophomore guard Malachi Flynn has registered 15.8 points a team-best 4.4 assists per game.
ONE YEAR AGO
UCLA improved its all-time record to 106-17 against Washington State last season by sweeping the two-game series. The Bruins handed Washington State a 95-79 defeat up north in Pullman, Wash. (Feb. 1, 2017) in a game that saw then-freshman TJ Leaf score 32 points and grab 14 rebounds. Nearly one month later, UCLA downed the Cougars in Pauley Pavilion, 77-68, in the final regular-season contest for both teams.
HUSKIES ON DECK
Two days after UCLA opens its Pac-12 schedule against Washington State, the Bruins will take on Washington in a New Year's Eve contest (Dec. 31 at 5 p.m., PT). Under the leadership of first-year head coach Mike Hopkins, Washington has compiled a 10-3 record. The Huskies will face USC on Friday, Dec. 29, before heading to play the Bruins in Pauley Pavilion. Last year, UCLA defeated Washington in Seattle, 107-66, on Feb. 4 before recording a 98-66 victory in Pauley Pavilion on March 1. Bryce Alford scored a game-high 29 points in the win at UCLA, making 8 of 14 attempts from three-point range.
CENTURY MARK
Steve Alford has become the sixth head coach in Westwood to have logged at least 100 career wins as UCLA's head coach. Now with 105 wins at UCLA, Alford secured win No. 100 against Wisconsin on Nov. 21. He led UCLA to 31 victories last season and has joined a list of 100-plus-win UCLA head coaches that features Caddy Works (1921-1939), John Wooden (1948-1975), Jim Harrick (1988-1996), Steve Lavin (1996-2003) and Ben Howland (2003-2013). Alford has compiled a 105-48 record in just over four seasons as the program's head coach (68.6 win percentage in games with UCLA).
MOVIN' ON UP
Thomas Welsh ranks third on the school's all-time blocked shots list (130), having surpassed Charles O'Bannon (118) for the No. 3 slot earlier this season. The top two spots on UCLA's career blocks list are occupied by Jelani McCoy (188) and Dan Gadzuric (184). McCoy played at UCLA from 1995-98, while Gadzuric starred for the Bruins from 1999-2002. Welsh currently ranks No. 9 on the school's all-time field goal percentage list (55.2 percent overall). Please note, UCLA's official "blocked shot" statistic has only been tracked on a consistent basis since the 1978-79 season.
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