GAME NOTES: The Bruins look to continue their winning streak as UCLA hosts the Richmond Spiders at the Los Angeles Sports Arena for their final non- conference bout before heading into Pac-12 play.
This will be the first meeting in the all-time series between the Spiders and Bruins.
Richmond comes in with a 7-5 record after taking down Old Dominion 90-82 in an overtime thriller on Tuesday. The Spiders' offense was incredible in the win as it made 59.5 percent of its shots from the field and 11-of-20 from beyond the arc. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak which was preceded by a three-game winning streak. The Spiders are a decent offensive team with an average of 70.5 ppg on 44.1 percent shooting from the field. Opponents have scored 67.2 ppg against them with a 42.1 field goal efficiency rate.
Darien Brothers pushed Richmond to victory over Old Dominion in the team's last outing as he scored 38 points and knocked down 7-of-11 attempts from three-point range. Brothers's average of 12.8 ppg is second on the team. Cedrick Lindsay is normally the top scorer as he is scoring 13.0 ppg while dishing out 4.3 apg. Lindsay has averaged 15.3 ppg in his last six games. Derrick Williams stepped up against the Monarchs to help the cause as he scored a career-high 18 points. Richmond has one of the best sixth-men in the country in Kendall Anthony. The freshman is scoring 14.2 ppg and has already been named conference player of the week three times.
UCLA's roller coaster season is on the rise as it has won its last four games to arrive at a 6-5 record. The Bruins began the year winning just two of their first seven games and all of their losses were by double-digit margins. Ben Howland's team has seemed to fix its issues as it beat UC Davis 82-39 before dominating UC Irvine 89-60 on Tuesday. Howland's team has been winning games lately despite the dismissal of starting forward Reeves Nelson and a minor injury to Travis Wear which kept the big man out of the lineup for two games. The Bruins are averaging 69.5 ppg while allowing just 63.0 ppg. Although UCLA is one of the biggest teams in the country, it has only a slight rebounding advantage statistically over its opponents so far with a positive 2.2 margin.
Lazeric Jones is leading UCLA with 13.0 ppg and 3.9 apg. The senior guard is on a hot streak as he has scored in double-figures in six-straight games. Wear is second on the team with 10.1 ppg and returned from his foot infection that had kept him out against UC Irvine. Travis's twin brother David is a solid contributor as well with 8.4 ppg and a team high 6.0 rpg. The Wear twins plus the 6-10, 305 pound Joshua Smith give the Bruins an NBA sized front line that will be very difficult for Richmond's 6-9 center Darrius Garrett.
The Bruins have corrected their early season problems as they head into conference play. Richmond will be a much tougher opponent than UCLA's recent competition, but the home team should be able to keep the Spiders from repeating their stellar offensive output from Tuesday.
Fact Stats
Game Date and Time
Predicted Outcome
