No. 4 UCLA expecting toughest road test at Marquette

2 years ago 332

Saturday volition people 10 days since the UCLA men’s hoops squad played a game, a agelong layoff astatine this clip of the year, aft Sunday’s crippled successful Seattle against Washington was canceled owed to COVID-19 wrong the Huskies program.

The cancellation resulted successful a forfeit triumph for the fourth-ranked Bruins that volition adhd their Pac-12 triumph column, but not their wide record, which stands astatine 7-1 aft a win implicit Colorado connected Dec. 1 astatine Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA manager Mick Cronin has jokingly said successful the past that helium ever wants to signifier and each his players privation to bash is play games. There’s been a batch of practice, and finally, a existent crippled is connected the skyline erstwhile the Bruins question to Milwaukee to instrumentality connected Marquette astatine 11:30 a.m. PT Saturday connected FOX.

“We’ll person a large assemblage Saturday, truthful it should beryllium exciting. All roadworthy games are hard,” Cronin said. “I’ve heard galore times that assemblage hoops is the astir home-court vantage of immoderate sport, a 75 percent triumph percentage.”

Cronin expects Saturday’s crippled to beryllium UCLA’s toughest roadworthy trial frankincense far. The 2 successful Las Vegas astatine T-Mobile Arena were neutral tract games against Bellarmine and Gonzaga, and the crippled astatine UNLV was a existent roadie, but played during the week of Thanksgiving. The ambiance wasn’t what the squad expected.

“The guys were looking astatine maine sideways,” Cronin said. “I said, ‘Look, I committedness you Marquette volition beryllium packed.’”

The Bruins are inactive waiting to spot if elder guardant Cody Riley volition play aft suffering a genu wounded that’s kept him sidelined since Nov. 9.

An encouraging sign. Cody Riley backmost successful practice. Brace connected his near knee. Mick Cronin said he’ll measure Friday if Riley volition play astatine each against Marquette Saturday. pic.twitter.com/8cCREHcWf7

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) December 9, 2021

“He’s close,” Cronin said of Riley’s return. “His genu is back, healthy, but it’s much the conditioning and getting his confidence, his assemblage back.”

Cronin did accidental Riley could play constricted minutes Saturday.

“Cody has been backmost successful signifier and I consciousness similar he’s adjacent gotten amended portion he’s been rehabbing,” UCLA halfway Myles Johnson said. “He shows he’s a seasoned person of this team, he’s been present the longest. When he’s connected the floor, he’s similar a large anchor, helium likes to speech and constituent radical to the close direction. Having him backmost connected the level is ever a bully thing.”

The agelong layoff was adjuvant to Jaime Jaquez Jr., who missed a steadfast magnitude of signifier aft a hard autumn successful the crippled against Colorado. He deed his caput and didn’t instrumentality successful that game, and wouldn’t person played against Washington connected Sunday. Jaquez returned to signifier Wednesday and is 100%, according to Cronin.

“It’s not similar we wanted to spell done this, but it’s affected our practice,” Cronin said. “Jaime went down and missed immoderate days. So, you’re down Mac (Etienne), Cody (Riley), Jaime (Jaquez) and Will (McClendon). That’s 4 assistance guys. It’s tough, but it’s things you spell through. Injuries are portion of it.”

UCLA moving connected immoderate antiaircraft ammunition drill with shot screens and/or switches connected the wings. This clip has a small acquisition from manager Mick Cronin, too. pic.twitter.com/KonZoX1j33

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) December 9, 2021

SCOUTING MARQUETTE

The Golden Eagles are 7-2 nether caller manager Shaka Smart, who’s astir notably known for his NCAA Tournament runs with VCU earlier his clip astatine Texas.

Justin Lewis and Darryl Morsell pb the squad successful scoring, averaging 15.7 and 14.1 points per game, respectively. Lewis is besides nabbing 7.7 rebounds per game.

“They sprout a batch of guarded shots, but they marque them,” Johnson said of Marquette. “So, we person to support a manus up and beryllium aware.”

Marquette has prime wins implicit West Virgina and Kansas State.

In Friday’s practice, UCLA was moving connected press-break drills, indicating the Bruins are preparing for full-court and half-court unit from Marquette.

“They’re an assertive squad offensively and defensively,” UCLA defender Jules Bernard said.