This post was updated Feb. 10 at 1:39 a.m.

Kobe Johnson was – less than a year ago – a crosstown enemy for the Bruins. 

But Saturday afternoon against the Nittany Lions, the senior guard proved more of a hero. 

Charged by Johnson’s all-around production, UCLA men’s basketball (18-6, 9-4 Big Ten) extended its winning streak to seven with a 78-54 pummeling of Penn State (13-11, 3-10) at Pauley Pavilion. 

Despite a bout of sickness two days before the game threatening to curtail some of UCLA’s most productive players, the Bruins eventually won. 

“Me, as well as Aday (sophomore center Aday Mara), Will (junior forward William Kyle III) and Tyler (junior forward Tyler Bilodeau), we were all in bed the entire day, the first day of practice,” said junior guard Skyy Clark. “So we didn’t get to see practice, going to bed, throwing up and everything. And second day of practice, coach was out with sickness.”

Bilodeau is the squad’s top scorer, and Mara has averaged 11.8 points in the past five games. With both still reeling from sickness, a lack of offensive presence was noticeable in the game’s early minutes.  

The Bruins and Nittany Lions battled for a marginal lead – one that didn’t eclipse a possession or two – through the first 10 minutes of the game. Then, Clark and Johnson – a USC transfer – were able to inject some life into the Bruins.

With the Bruins up by just one about midway through the first half, sophomore guard Sebastian Mack dished the ball to Clark on a fast break. Clark slammed the ball through the net – but the fun was not be over for the Bruin faithful just yet.  

In the subsequent play, Johnson plucked the ball from Penn State guard Freddie Dilione V’s hands, charging down the hardwood to drill the ball through the net once again.  

“That was lit. That was both our first dunks of the year,” Johnson said. “It changed the tone of the game. I think it really got the crowd into it. It just got the energy back alive.” 

Johnson and Clark’s steals were part of five that the Bruins gathered through the first 12 minutes of play – and were more than half of the team’s average per game. 

From there, Clark and Johnson spearheaded the Bruins’ charge –  the former ended the half with a team-high 11 points, while the latter led the squad in rebounds and assists with three and two, respectively, to close out the first 20 minutes of play. 

“We’re both team guys,” Clark said. “However we can help our team, whether it’s stuff that shows up on the box score, it really doesn’t matter to us.”

Coach Mick Cronin’s veteran guards only amplified their wizardry from that point forward.

Their dominance continued through the second half, and with it came an extension of the Bruins’ lead. Johnson added 10 more rebounds to his tally – finishing with 13 for a season high.

He added three more assists to his name – including a lob across court to complete Mara’s dunk and trigger a roar in Pauley Pavilion.

And ultimately, Johnson made dents in each category of the box score – 15 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block. Clark trailed closely behind with 14 points and three assists.   

“So far, we’ve had a pretty good year, and Kobe’s just a big part of that because he gave us a senior leader that is a winner – meaning he’s a winning player,” Cronin said. “He just does a lot of things that don’t show up in the stat sheet, and there’s a lot of NBA people who are friends of mine that know it. And he’s going to get his chance, he’s going to get his chance at the next level because people like to win.”