Heading into UCLA’s opener against Arizona, the Bruins’ first five look about as settled as anything can be after two exhibition games. The same lineup started both times, and all signs point to that group running it back against the Wildcats.
Trent Perry is set to open at point guard, and the job comes with real weight. He’s being asked to step into the kind of role Donovan Dent handled last season, and UCLA’s ceiling may end up tied to how far Perry can push it.
The expectation is that he’ll be a major scorer and a steady distributor for a roster loaded with offensive options. Jaylen Petty gives the Bruins another ball-handler, too, which should help ease some of that pressure.
Perry is projected to log around 30 minutes a night.
At shooting guard, UCLA will turn to Jaylen Petty, the transfer from Texas Tech who has already played more than any other Bruin across the two exhibitions. The buzz around him is simple: he might be the best shooter on the roster, especially from beyond the arc. Paired with Trent Perry in the backcourt, he gives UCLA a combination that could keep the offense competitive with some of the Big Ten’s top teams.
On the wing, Nikola Kusturica is locked in as the starting small forward. The 17-year-old freshman arrives with a lot of attention, and the reason is easy to see.
He’s a true all-around player, one who can impact the game in a bunch of different ways. His defense already stands out, and his work on the glass should help a Bruins team that can use that kind of support.
Offensively, he can chip in in multiple ways, which makes him tough to take off the floor. He should be on the court for most of the night.
Freshman Joe Philon will also see significant minutes and can slide into several spots, including small forward.
Eric Dailey Jr. is expected to start at power forward, and he brings a lot of versatility to the frontcourt. In the first exhibition against Cal Baptist, he showed he can be UCLA’s top scorer on any given night.
Filip Jovic is another option at power forward, though he’s more likely to be used as a reserve at center despite standing 6-foot-8. Philon can also fill in at the four, where his length and defensive ability can make an impact.
The center spot looks like it could be a shared job in terms of minutes, even if Xavier Booker gets the starting nod. Booker and Jovic are both expected to play similar roles over the course of the season. Booker gives UCLA rim protection, while Jovic adds offensive versatility, giving the Bruins a different look depending on what they need.
In Other News...
UCLA Is Still Unbeaten But One Concern Is Getting Harder To Ignore
UCLA kept rolling with an 8-0 start after handling Nevada, and the win again came with the defense setting the tone. The front seven was disruptive throughout, with Sahir West and Aiden Gobaira each finishing with 1.5 sacks and multiple tackles for loss, while the secondary kept turning pressure into possessions. Scooter Jacksons interception helped spark a takeaway-heavy night for a unit that has become the Bruins most reliable edge.
The concern, though, is that the offense still did not look completely settled even with Ty Dieffenbach throwing for 178 yards and two touchdowns. His numbers were good enough to help secure another victory, but the overall performance was uneven enough to leave room for questions as the schedule gets tougher. For a team that keeps finding ways to win, UCLA is also showing the kind of offensive inconsistency that can become harder to brush aside later on. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Just Sent A Strong Message Before Minnesota
UCLAs defense wasted no time setting the tone against Nevada, turning an early game into a one-sided afternoon and giving the Bruins a clean run-up to Minnesota. The result was a shutout built on pressure, discipline and a secondary that kept everything in front of it while the offense did enough to put the game out of reach.
The bigger picture for UCLA is what came with the scoreboard control. Nevada managed only 111 passing yards and 65 on the ground, and the Bruins kept the Wolf Pack off the board entirely while rolling to a 27-0 finish. With Minnesota next, UCLA heads into that matchup carrying a reminder that its defense can travel, clamp down and make life miserable when it is locked in. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Defense Is Changing What November Could Mean For The Bruins
Through the first eight games of the season, UCLAs defense has started to look like the kind of unit that can change the shape of a month, not just a game. Under Bob Chesney, the Bruins have made noticeable strides on that side of the ball, and the recent win over Nevada was another sign of it. The group was active, disruptive and sturdy enough to give the offense room to breathe, with Sahir West, Aiden Gobaira and Trent Hendrick among the players helping set the tone.
The encouraging part for UCLA is that this feels less like a one-week spike and more like a foundation taking hold, even if Chesney has been clear that there is still work to do. The challenge now is whether that progress can travel with the Bruins into a tougher stretch ahead, where the margin for defensive slipups gets a lot smaller. If November is going to mean something for this team, the next few games will have to show that the improvement was real and not just a good afternoon in Reno. [Read more 🡒]