UCLA men’s basketball (16-7, 8-4 Big Ten) will face a former Pac-12 foe for the second time this season when it battles Washington (12-11, 4-8) Saturday evening at Pauley Pavilion. Daily Bruin Sports editor Connor Dullinger analyzes the Huskies’ starting lineup, along with their strengths and weaknesses.

Personnel:
Coach: Danny Sprinkle
Starting lineup: Guard Zoom Diallo, guard Wesley Yates III, guard Quimari Peterson, forward Hannes Steinbach, center Franck Kepnang
Best player: Forward Hannes Steinbach
X-factor: Guard Zoom Diallo
KenPom ranking: No. 44
Adjusted offensive rating: 118.5 (No. 59)
Adjusted defensive rating: 101.6 (No. 54)
Adjusted tempo: 66.9 (No. 205)

There are advantages to facing the same team twice.

A coach can create a game plan, dissect the squad’s best attributes and identify their pitfalls.

But it is almost impossible to plan for forward Hannes Steinbach.

The projected lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft leads the Huskies in scoring and rebounding with 17.8 and 11.5 marks, respectively. Steinbach has led the team in scoring in 12 of its 23 games, demonstrated in an efficient 53.7% clip from the field and 35.1% from beyond the arc.

Standing at 6-foot-11, Steinbach is lethal around the rim. He boasts the size and strength necessary to both clear out space around the basket, giving him open and uncontested looks, and finish through and around contact.

Before Friday’s practice, coach Mick Cronin said the Bruins have to limit their two, one and zero-foot shots, meaning they have to keep him out of the interior and force him to the perimeter.

Steinbach excels as an offensive rebounder and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. And considering UCLA’s struggles to outrebound its opponents, Steinbach could replicate the 29-point and 12-rebound performance he put against the squad on Dec. 3.

But do not let Steinbach’s frame distract from his speed and premier athleticism. He is explosive in space and is proficient at making timely cuts to the basket and open spaces around the rim, where he can finish the play while also drawing fouls.

Steinbach’s scoring volume is not limited to just the paint, either.

He possesses a smooth jumper that the Wurzburg, Germany, local is not afraid to let fly when left open. Steinbach is going to give juniors forward/center Xavier Booker, guard/forward Eric Dailey Jr. and senior forward Tyler Bilodeau a defensive headache Saturday night.

Feeding Steinbach on the interior is backcourt guard Zoom Diallo.

Diallo ranks second on the team in scoring and first in assists, boasting 15.3 points and 4.3 assists per contest. The true sophomore makes his money running downhill and moving into open space, where it gives him the opportunity to step into his shot or find an open shooter or big in the interior.

He is a proficient facilitator, often finding open players when defenders collapse as he gets into the core of the defensive shell. Or, if he doesn’t give the ball up, he goes to his bread and butter – the midrange.

Diallo is an electric midrange shooter who steps into his shot rather than going off the bounce or pass. He can shoot the 3-ball, but is not an elite marksman, making just 32.7% of attempts from beyond the arc.

But his athleticism sets him apart from other backcourt options.

Illustrating his name, when Diallo gets the first step, defenders struggle to recover or defend as he explodes toward the rim or to find an open teammate.

Joining Diallo in the backcourt is guard Wesley Yates III. The former USC guard ranks third on the team in scoring, averaging 13.4 points per game on an efficient 38.1% clip.

Yates – who has seen an uptick in production with guard Desmond Claude sidelined because of injury – is a proficient corner 3-point scorer and, because of his long-range capabilities, has added a shot fake, rip and drive to his offensive arsenal.

The move allows him to get into space with the defender at his hip, where he can use his change of pace and patient slashing ability to find gaps in the defense and get easy looks at the rim.

What sets him apart from other guards, though, is his defensive capabilities.

Yates leads the team in steals with 1.4 per game, using his active hands to disrupt opposing ball handlers and doubling players on the interior from the blindside to give the Huskies fast break opportunities.

Like Yates, guard Quimari Peterson has seen an increased role with the absence of Claude.

Peterson ranks fourth on the team in scoring, adding 8.8 points per game. While he does not boast efficient shooting splits, tallying a 37.6% clip from the field and 32.4% mark from beyond the arc, he thrives from deep.

He averages six long-range attempts per game and excels shooting from downtown off curls, coming off screens or any action that frees him up to shoot off the pass. Peterson logged 12 points against UCLA in the two teams’ first battle, including a key 3-pointer late in the contest to force a nail-biting finish.

Peterson also boasts a floater and slasher package, which could be vital against a smaller UCLA squad that struggles to defend at the rim.

Rounding out the starting five is center Franck Kepnang, who ranks sixth on the team in scoring and second in rebounding. Kepnang plays like a traditional, old-school center – grabbing rebounds, blocking shots and making his presence known on the interior on both ends of the hardwood.

Kepnang stands at 6-foot-11 and 253 pounds, giving the Huskies a strong and dominant force in the interior. He does not boast an elite or dynamic offensive skillset, mainly finishing off missed shots around the rim or putting in layups off space he created with his strength.

The center finished with just three points on 1-for-5 shooting from the field against the Bruins earlier this season, but he did grab seven boards, eclipsing his season average.

Kepnang won’t break box scores come Saturday, but if the Huskies want to dominate the interior, then Kepnang – with the help of Steinbach – is their answer.