UCLA men’s basketball regroups ahead of home game against Lehigh

The earlier part of a season is when teams try to iron out the kinks brought on by a new roster, new season and often new game plan.

A successful team is able to push through those early blunders.

In its next attempt to smooth over missteps – many of which have been a product of the team’s roster overhaul – UCLA men’s basketball (2-1) will face Lehigh (0-3) on Friday at Pauley Pavilion.

“We’re trying to play faster, trying to run more, trying to play more in transition and then more mistakes happen,” said senior guard Lazar Stefanovic. “So we’ve got to fix those.”

The Bruins are entering the season sporting nine new players on their roster.

And naturally, new faces and new lineups require revamped strategies, mandating necessary adjustments.

“We’re trying to be more of a ball movement team. When you’re trying to pass the ball more, you’re going to have more turnovers,” said coach Mick Cronin. “You got guys playing together for the first time. We’re trying to continue to work through it. I think it’ll help us in the long run.”

Cronin’s approach in previous years involved rotating between fewer players, largely prioritizing marquee talent like Jaime Jaquez Jr. – now a member of the NBA’s Miami Heat – and Tyger Campbell.

This season’s lineup, however, features an abundance of upside but a lack of clear-cut standouts. While there may not be an obvious franchise player in the mix, Cronin is not short of names to pull out of a hat.

“I don’t think the answer is to just put the ball in one guy’s hands so we turn it over less,” Cronin said. “For the long growth of our team, having more pace and more ball movement will help us, but we’re going through growing pains with it.”

Along with novels this season, the talent at Cronin’s disposal allows players to zero in on the fundamentals, rather than trying to cover all bases.

Junior guard Skyy Clark said the Bruins’ roster depth has allowed him to hone his defense.

“I’m definitely taking another step this year,” Clark said. “I think one of the biggest parts is having so many guys around me, I don’t really got to do so much on offense, so I can conserve some more energy for defense.”

Clark put up six rebounds and 16 deflections Monday night, steering UCLA’s defense to handily defeat Boston University by a score of 71-40. Clark’s defensive production was a major contributor to the Bruins’ 59 overall deflections and 28 overall forced turnovers.

After the team’s offense struggled through the first half – one that featured a seven-minute scoring drought – Clark and the Bruins cranked up their defense through the remainder of the game.

“My praise for them couldn’t have been any higher after that game,” Cronin said. “Just their attitude and their effort. You approach that game with that type of effort and attitude you’re going to have a good season.”

The Bruins will tip off against the Mountain Hawks on Friday at 7 p.m.