Men’s basketball looks ahead to home, conference openers
Coming off a career-high in points, junior guard Jules Bernard will look to help UCLA men’s basketball continue its winning ways in two home matchups, including its first Pac-12 game of the season. (Daily Bruin file photo)
By Taiyo Keilin
Dec. 3, 2020 1:49 p.m.
After a slight hiccup, the Bruins will be back on the hardwood and competing in conference play.
UCLA men’s basketball (1-1) is hosting Seattle (3-1) and California (2-1) on Thursday and Sunday, respectively, with the former being the Bruin’s home opener and the latter being the team’s first game of the 2020-2021 Pac-12 campaign.
Junior guard Jules Bernard, who averaged 6.6 points per game in his first two seasons in Westwood, scored a career-high 21 points in UCLA’s first win of the season Friday against Pepperdine. He said he came out too defensive in the first game and needed to be more assertive in game two.
“After I played the first game, I realized I was sort of playing afraid to make mistakes,” Bernard said Wednesday. “So, in the second game, I tried to come out more aggressive, attack my defenders and then that way, other lanes would open up for teammates and for myself. That was sort of my mindset coming into the second game.”
Bernard did not score from the field in UCLA’s loss to San Diego State in the season opener but dropped 21 points in his team’s 55-minute marathon victory versus Pepperdine. The 6-foot-6 junior is fifth out of the Bruins in scoring after the two games this season.
Leading the way for UCLA offensively is Bernard’s backcourt partner, senior guard Chris Smith. After playing 27 minutes in the first game of the season before eventually fouling out, Smith was on the court for 51 minutes in the Bruins’ first win of the year. He led the team in points with 26 and rebounds with 12 and was second in assists with six.
On Tuesday, Smith was selected to the John R. Wooden Award preseason watch list, which recognizes the top 50 players in men’s basketball. Smith said while he is grateful for the acknowledgment, his mind is set on improvement for himself and those around him and on winning.
“(The announcement) means a lot to me,” Smith said. “All those watch lists and everything, that’s great, and I really appreciate the recognition, but I’m here to win. I’m here to get better and I’m here to make my teammates better.”
UCLA’s original home opener was supposed to take place Monday versus Long Beach State, but the game was postponed hours before tipoff because of COVID-19 protocol within the Beach’s program. UCLA women’s basketball has experienced game postponements early in the season as well, also because of opponents’ testing posti.
Coach Mick Cronin said the Bruins are following all the necessary protocols to ensure the safety of both teams, on and before game day.
“I’m going to tell you, at UCLA, we’re going to err on the side of caution,” Cronin said. “From our standpoint, everybody’s going to have to test negative on game day and obviously prior to leading up to that. Our athletic director and our assistant athletic director are in close communication daily with our upcoming opponents on testing information.”
Seattle is coming off a trip to Las Vegas for the 2020 Men’s Vegas Bubble where it split its matchups against Air Force and Cal State Northridge. The Redhawks have attempted 48 more 3-pointers than their opponents and outrebounded their opposition by 15 – with 47 of their 140 rebounds coming on the offensive glass.
Seattle will look to spread UCLA out, according to Cronin, eliminate UCLA’s size advantage and use its aggressiveness and its 3-point shooting to its benefit.
“(They) got a couple guys that can do some things with the basketball,” Cronin said. “Some matchup issues maybe for us, but the 3-point shot’s the great equalizer, and they shoot a lot of them, and they can shoot it. And they do hustle because to have their rebounding numbers, you got to play really hard to be at the advantage they are on the glass.”
The Bruins will have two days to rest after the Redhawks’ game before welcoming the Golden Bears for UCLA’s first Pac-12 contest of the season. Cal is also playing Thursday night against Arizona State, meaning the matchup in Westwood will not be its first conference game.
Tipoff for UCLA versus Seattle is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, and the game against California will begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, both at Pauley Pavilion. Cronin ended his press conference calling out for a bit of luck.
“Knock on wood everything goes well,” Cronin said.
