November 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Dylan Andrews (2) drives toward the basket, beating California State Fullerton Titans guard Antwan Robinson (10) and forward Kendrick De Luna (24) during the second half at Foley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Image UCLA concluded a six-game homestand Tuesday when it hosted its first Big Ten Conference game in Los Angeles. Even against a familiar league foe: Washington.
The Bruins (6-1) welcome a longtime Pac-12 Conference opponent in both programs’ Big Ten debuts. UCLA is on a five-game winning streak, having breezed through a series of non-conference matchups that concluded with an 88-43 win over Southern Utah on Nov. 26.
In the 45-point game, UCLA’s Dylan Andrews had 11 points, three assists and just one turnover. It was a promising showing for the junior, who struggled early in the season with a groin injury and shaky play.
“When you have a guard who is in his third year, started (almost) every game last year, and has been with the program for three years… he’s probably had a good year,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said of Andrews on Monday. “I’m not saying he has to be player of the year in the Big Ten, but he has to give us production.”
Washington (6-1) continues its Southern California swing after winning two games at the Acrisure Invitational in Palm Desert last weekend. The Huskies beat Colorado State 73-67 in the first round of the tournament on Thursday behind Tyler Harris’ 24 points and eight rebounds.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence, he’s aggressive, and the only thing he’s doing right now is making shots,” Washington coach Danny Sprinkle told Sports Illustrated of Harris. “When he knocks down (3-pointers), he’s really hard to guard.”
The Huskies defeated Santa Clara 76-69 in the tournament final on Friday, led by 19 points and eight rebounds from Great Osobor.
Washington’s visit to UCLA on Tuesday marks the third matchup between the programs this year. But this Huskies team looks dramatically different than the version that lost 73-61 to the Bruins in Los Angeles in January and then returned the favor with a 94-77 win in Seattle in February.
Sprinkle took over as Washington’s head coach in the offseason and revamped the roster, with Osobor’s arrival a key addition. Osobor won Mountain West Conference Player of the Year honors on Sprinkle’s Utah State team last season, and the big man now leads the league in scoring (14.6 points per game), rebounding (10.3 points per game) and assists (3.9 points per game) through seven games. Leading the Huskies. .
Harris transferred to Washington from the University of Portland, where he made the West Coast Conference’s All-Freshman team in 2023-24.
UCLA underwent a transformation of its own prior to the start of Cronin’s sixth season, with former Pac-12 opponents Kobe Johson (Southern California) and Tyler Bilodeau (Oregon State) assuming key roles. Bilodeau leads the team in scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg).
–Field level media
