This post was updated Oct. 30 at 10:12 p.m.
UCLA men’s basketball finished its two-game preseason slate with a 94-64 victory over UC Irvine at Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night. UCLA swept its preseason campaign 2-0 after defeating San Diego State 67-60 at the Viejas Arena in San Diego on Oct. 17. The two matches gave the Bruins two formidable opponents before their 2025-26 campaign begins Monday, with the Aztecs and Anteaters projected to win the Mountain West and Big West conference titles, respectively. UCLA’s first game will be against Eastern Washington at Pauley Pavilion.
Dent is that guy
If there were any Donovan Dent doubters left, they were vanquished Tuesday night.
The acquisition of the 2024-25 Mountain West Player of the Year has single-handedly elevated every facet of the Bruins’ offensive game.
UCLA looked the fastest I have seen it in recent memory, and with the senior guard leading the transition, the Bruins should be able to take advantage of bigger and slower opposing lineups, mitigating the concerns that have surrounded the team’s underdeveloped defensive frontcourt.
Dent should be able to score double-digits every game purely off wide-open transition layups.
And while Dent has made his money attacking downhill, he has also displayed an array of shot-making abilities at multiple levels of the field.
His IQ and game sense allow him to draw fouls on shot fakes and attempts, slashing through the lane, as analytics predicted he drew 7.4 fouls Tuesday night. He backed up that statistic with eight free throw attempts – six of which he converted.
And while he did not attempt a 3-pointer, he displayed patience, body control and touch that allowed him to be lethal in floaters and mid-range jumpers in and around the paint.
Dent finished the contest with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
What stood out most from the Bruins’ victory was Dent’s playmaking. The senior finished with eight assists to just one turnover, a huge improvement from his two-plus assist-to-turnover ratio last season at New Mexico. Whether it’s off the pick and roll, the shot fake and rip through or leading the transition, Dent’s passing showed that he can find any open shot on the hardwood.
And it could not have been clearer than with his alley-oop to senior forward Tyler Bilodeau towards the end of the half.
Veteran returners
While Dent stole the show, do not let recency bias make you forget about Bilodeau and senior guard Skyy Clark.
Bilodeau bounced back from a subpar performance against the Aztecs in the first exhibition game, going 3-for-10 from the field and 1-for-7 from beyond the arc.
The forward finished with a team-leading 19 points on an 80% field goal percentage, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Bilodeau’s Tuesday performance was punctuated by 12-straight points to end the first half.
Bilodeau’s move to the four spot, combined with the defensive attention that Dent draws, has proven to give the forward more open looks and less one-on-one pressure than he experienced last year when he was the primary scoring option.
The Kennewick, Washington, local also dispelled last season’s qualms surrounding his rebounding presence, hauling in eight boards, including two on the offensive glass.
If Bilodeau is overshadowed as one of the nation’s most impactful scoring options, then Clark is underrated as one of the country’s top backcourt players.
While two early fouls took Clark out of the majority of the first half, the Los Angeles local has proven to be the Bruins’ most consistent player. He was second in scoring against San Diego State, before knocking in 13 points on a 60% clip in just 17 minutes of game action Tuesday.
Dent’s presence will not only allow Clark to focus on his man-to-man defense – one of his best attributes as the Bruins’ backcourt lockdown option – but will give him freer looks to score at will.
Transfers steal all of the glory in today’s college basketball landscape, but don’t forget about a team’s returners.
Solidified center
When former Bruin center Aday Mara departed Westwood for Ann Arbor in the offseason, everyone knew that the frontcourt would be UCLA’s biggest lineup concern, especially at the five.
But, for the time being, forward/center Xavier Booker has quieted the whispers and answered the questions.
The 6-foot-11 junior showed offensive confidence Tuesday night. Whether it was from beyond the arc, backing down players in the paint or attacking the rim, Booker showed no hesitation to find his rhythm – taking a team-leading 11 shots.
He went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, proving that the Bruins can shoot the ball from spots one through five, and giving opposing big men nightmares as they have to guard from the arc to the basket.
Simply put, if Booker is open at the 3-point line, he is more than willing to let it fly.
Additionally, the former five-star recruit showed no hesitation in attacking the seams – utilizing his speed and technique to find open space and his long frame to get above defenders’ contests.
While he had a team-leading six turnovers, I am more focused on the fact that the Bruins have a center who can score at all three levels and is confident and comfortable to take what is given to him.
More importantly, he showed strength and resilience in the paint, grabbing six boards, including four on the offensive glass, and proving to be a solid one-on-one defender.
It is only preseason, but Booker has passed the eye test thus far.
Sixth Man of the Year
Fifth-year guard Jamar Brown is what former UCLA forward Lazar Stefanovic needed to be.
Brown can lead the team in rebounds, be a solid wing defender and give the Bruins an efficient 8 to 15 points a night.
After a slow but effective performance against the Aztecs – going 3-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from beyond the arc – Brown showed all of the facets of the game that he can impact Tuesday night.
Brown finished UCLA’s victory with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds alongside three steals. Despite standing at 6-foot-5, he led the team on the glass and was the first one to every loose ball. His grit and athleticism alone allow him to impact the trajectory of a game.
But add in what is probably the team’s best perimeter stroke, and he is the type of player that can be the difference between the Round of 32 and the Final Four come March.
While he stands to be the starter with junior guard/forward Eric Dailey Jr. out with a knee strain, he will be the first one off the bench when Dailey returns to the starting five.
And no matter what role he plays, he will see the hardwood often and impact the game even more.
Dailey-less Bruins
Dailey sat out his second consecutive exhibition Tuesday night, and coach Mick Cronin said the guard/forward is “doubtful” for Monday’s season opener against Eastern Washington.
While the junior is still considered day-to-day and the knee strain has not caused any structural damage, his continued absence could be something to watch for the Bruins.
UCLA looks more than capable without its starting small forward, who was named to the preseason watchlist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, but the Bruin faithful has yet to see what the lineups and rotations will look like when the team’s second-leading scorer from last year is back in the starting five.
It seems like the team can only get better with the addition of Dailey to the rotation. However, no one has seen what the squad and shooting splits look like with the addition of a ball-dominant wing.
While question marks exist, Dailey should not only fortify the Bruins’ offense – giving them additional threats from deep and attacking the lanes – but will also supplement an already staunch defense.
And that’s without mentioning the vocal leadership the junior adds when on the hardwood.
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