UCLA has been beating nobodies and fringes thus far this season but on Saturday, that trend will change as the Bruins get the number one team in the nation in the form of the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Bruins are 8-0 SU on the season and are coming off a 98-56 decimation of UC Riverside last Wednesday. Isaac Hamilton had a field day on offense against the Highlanders, as he led the Bruins with 27 points behind an exceptional 7-for-12 line from beyond the arc.
Outside shooting has been a strong suit of the high-scoring Bruins, who are third in the nation with 97.0 PPG. The Bruins are lights out from the three-point area, knocking down 11.0 threes per contest, good for sixth in Division I ball. What makes the Bruins’ offense harder to stop is Lonzo Ball’s excellent guard play. The freshman sensation is dishing out 9.6 APG while scoring 14.6 PPG. Overall, the Bruins are no. 1 overall in assists with 24.8 per contest.
The Bruins need their defense to get better, however, as they are allowing 72.9 PPG. They are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
What’s new? Kentucky won its seventh-straight victory to start the season after handing Arizona State a savage, almost-criminal, 115-69 beating last Monday.
The Wildcats looked every bit the part of the top-ranked school in the nation, shooting 52.4% from the floor, while limiting the Sun Devils to only 34.2 FG%. Freshman De’Aaron Fox recorded a triple double in that game, scoring 14 points and adding 11 boards and 10 assists. Another hotshot frosh in Malik Monk, meanwhile, dropped 23 points on 8-for-20 shooting.
It’s going to be interesting to see how Kentucky’s guards will fare against UCLA. The trio of Fox, Monk, and Briscoe is terrifying, combining for 53.0 PPG or more than half of the team’s average of 95.6 PPG. Like UCLA, the Wildcats like to move the ball around, as they are recording 21.3 APG, third overall.
Among the Wildcats’ advantages over UCLA is in the rebounding department. The Wildcats are hauling down 44.3 RPG led by Edrice Adebayo’s 7.6 RPG.
Kentucky is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games as the home team.
