UCLA’s early-season momentum got another boost against Arizona, and the individual grades tell the story of a team that found enough production from a lot of different places to get it done.
Trent Perry set the tone for the Bruins, even if the shot chart wasn’t especially pretty. He finished with 21 points in just 25 minutes, going 4-of-12 from the field and 2-for-4 from deep, but his impact went well beyond scoring. Perry added 5 assists and then shut the door at the line, knocking down all 11 of his free throws in the late-game stretch to help UCLA finish the job.
Jaylen Petty gave the Bruins an early jolt from outside, opening the game by hitting his first three triples before the rhythm faded in the second half. He ended up 4-for-11 overall, but still made his presence felt in other ways. Petty pulled down 7 rebounds, including 6 on the defensive end, and also led UCLA in assists, showing he can shoulder some of the point guard load when Perry is off the floor.
Nikola Kusturica didn’t have the cleanest offensive night, finishing 3-of-11 from the field and missing all five of his attempts from three. Still, his value showed up where UCLA needed it most. He blocked 3 shots and added 2 steals, using his length and size to make life difficult on Arizona.
Eric Dailey Jr. kept firing and finished with 13 points on 6-of-16 shooting. The three-ball wasn’t there - he went 0-for-5 - but he still led UCLA on the glass and helped the Bruins edge Arizona by one rebound. That kind of shooting line isn’t likely to be the norm for him, so there’s no reason to overreact.
Xavier Booker had a quieter night than the other starters, mostly because he only logged 13 minutes. He scored 8 points on 3-for-5 shooting and grabbed 3 rebounds, but the limited run made it tough for him to settle in.
Among the reserves, Azavier Robinson logged the most minutes, and while the box score stayed modest, his defense showed up throughout the night. He finished with 4 points, a block and a steal, with two of those points coming at the free-throw line.
Sergej Macura played an important role in the win while filling in for the injured Filip Jovic. In 13 minutes, he scored 7 points, shot 50% from the field and grabbed two key rebounds that helped UCLA create separation.
Joe Philon didn’t see a huge workload, playing 12 minutes, the second fewest on the team. But he made the most of his chances, going 3-for-3 from the field for 7 points and 4 rebounds.
Brandon Williams brought energy on the defensive end, though the offense never really clicked. He shot 1-for-5 overall and 0-for-2 from three, added 3 rebounds, and picked up four personal fouls in 11 minutes, something UCLA will want to clean up as the season moves along.
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