The No. 22 UCLA Bruins beat No. 5 Arizona Wildcats 84-75 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. to open the season on Monday.
The Bruins will likely jump up in the rankings as they looked to be the more physical team in the matchup who watched more of the game in March than the season opener. UCLA head coach Mick Cronin will undoubtedly have many areas for the team to improve on in the build-up, but here are five takeaways from the most important bond Cronin and his group have had to open the season.
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Getting stoned
The Bruins played tough, physical basketball from start to finish and they have goals to prove. UCLA did everything they could to knock Arizona out of rhythm and that started by limiting Wildcats senior center Motiejus Krivas to just eight points with a cut on his chin that he received from the start of the game. At some point, Arizona tried to get back into the game, pushing UCLA back and if they keep this momentum going over the course of the season, it’s hard to imagine them not doing it that far in March.
He stands on the defensive
Cronin should be happy with what he’s seen of the defense for the most part, but it’s likely that UCLA will have to work to improve something. The Bruins went wildcat jersey and had five steals and seven blocks and 29 defensive rebounds. Nothing easy for Arizona and that plan. Bruins holding Arizona to 37 percent from the field and 23 percent beyond the arc was a recipe for success and could have been better if Arizona sophomore forward Ivan Kharchenkov didn’t have a career-high 38-point night.
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Perry’s calm performance
Junior point guard Trent Perry was a calm presence on the court when he needed it most. Perry saw limited action in the first half of the game after making two personal fouls, but was essential for the Bruins in establishing the court in Arizona’s midfield as they consistently attempted comebacks. Although Perry made only 4-of-12 from the field, he scored 21 points with 11 points from the line. The young star continued to improve from his time on the court last season and should improve as the second season progresses.
He shot down the tribe
UCLA did what they needed to on offense as they powered to the rim and forced the Beasts to defend every inch of the court. The Bruins had 16 rebounds, a productive lead that stretched throughout the game with the leading scorer being sophomore guard Jaylen Petty, who made 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. While the Bruins were productive on offense, UCLA shot 34 percent from downtown, but some errant attempts with freshman forward Nikola Kusturica and senior forward Eric Dailey Jr. all five of his shooting attempts were missed.
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Making an announcement
The Bruins made a winning announcement as the No. 5 teams ranked in the preseason poll with a mix of new and old players producing. Perry led the team on offense with 21-points, but Petty’s and sophomore passing Segej Macura opened up the floor for other players to make plays. Senior center Xavier Booker and Dailey Jr. both veterans showed savvy throughout the game to fix some of the erratic mistakes made by their young teammates. Of course, Kusturica also showed why he made one of the most respected additions to the team playing on both sides of the ball and showed that he is talented enough to develop the Bruins into a star.
This article first appeared on the UCLA Wire: Five away from No. 22 UCLA’s stunning victory over No. 5 Arizona