No. 7 Arizona Basketball looks for revenge against No. 3 UCLA

No. 7 Arizona Basketball (17-2, 7-1) fell to the Bruins last week, but now it is the Wildcats’ chance to avenge that loss as they take on No. 3 UCLA (16-2, 8-1).

Well, it wasn’t the prettiest matchup for Arizona Basketball when these two teams met just over a week ago in a marquee showdown between two, Top 10 teams in Los Angeles.

As we are all well aware by now, the Wildcats shot an abysmal 23-75 (30.7 percent) from the field. Early on, Arizona looked tight and a bit overmatched, ultimately, losing to the Bruins by 16 points.

Coming into this rematch, Arizona is considered the slight favorite here, as there are some questions regarding UCLA. Johnny Juzang has been out recently due to COVID protocols, and the team also travels to Tucson in what should be a rowdy and raucous McKale.

However, as we have seen over the past few years, UCLA has provided a tough matchup for the Wildcats, winning the last six straight. We expect the Bruins to bring their ‘A-game’ and will once again provide a competitive and challenging game here.

Hopefully, even with Arizona likely to be without Azuolas Tubelis 100 percent again, head coach Tommy Lloyd will have the Wildcats ready to rumble and avenge their previous loss to UCLA!

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the UCLA Bruins.

Team: UCLA Bruins

Conference: Pac-12 Conference

2020-21 Record: Finishing the year with a 22-10 (13-6) record in 2020-21, the Bruins finished in 4th place in the conference, but got hot to end the year, winning five-straight games in the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed before falling to No. 1 Gonzaga in the Final Four.

Head Coach: Mick Cronin enters his 3rd season with the Bruins, having compiled a 56–24 (32-13) record so far. Mick is currently coaching his 19th season in the NCAA, making previous stints with Murray State and Cincinnati, compiling a 421-195 record overall as a head coach.

Keys to the Game:

Contain UCLA’s Stars – The Bruins are a very talented group, and there is no doubt that they are led by Johnny Juzang, Jaime Jaquez, Tyger Campbell, and Jules Bernard, along with a deep and talented bench.

However, it is this group that makes make up a large majority of the production for the Bruins, and when all four are rolling, they are a tough team to beat, heck, we all saw last week.

While I think the Wildcats will have a better showcase this time around, they are going to need to slow down this group as much as they can if they are going to win. If these four get rolling early, it could be another long night.

Let’s Get Physical – The last time these two teams met, Arizona looked outmatched as UCLA appeared to be the more physical and hungry team, imposing their will in their 16-point win.

No matter the outcome in this one, Arizona has got to play tougher, especially if they are to win. If the Wildcats can impose their will and play to their strengths, I like their chances of winning; however, it won’t be easy.

Get the Shots to Fall Early – Arizona has been ice cold the last two games, shooting a combined 42-134 (31.3 percent) from the field. Whether it is from beyond the arc, or near the bucket, the shots just haven’t fallen.

Chalk it up to tired legs, good defense, or a combination of both, against UCLA, they’re going to have to find a way to get those shots to go in early if they are going to win.

Should the Wildcats have another cold shooting night like last week, and it could be another long night for Arizona.

Arizona Basketball versus the UCLA Bruins game information and details:

Date: Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022

Time: 6:00 P.M. MST / 5:00 P.M. PST

Location: McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz. (14,655)

Spread: -7.0 Arizona (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your overall betting experience)

Television: ESPN

Radio: 107.5 FM (Tucson) / 1290AM (Tucson) | Arizona IMG Sports Network

Team Records:

No. 7 Arizona Wildcats (17-2, 7-1): After falling to UCLA last week, the Wildcats returned to their winning ways,

No. 3 UCLA Bruins (16-2, 8-1): After falling to Oregon nearly a month ago, the Bruins have won five straight games, including a 16-point thrashing over Arizona the last time these two teams met.

Head-to-Head Record (since 1949-50): Since 1949-50, Arizona has been outmatched by UCLA, as the Wildcats currently trail the Bruins 60-42 in the head-to-head series. UCLA has also won the last six straight against Arizona.

Last Meeting vs. Arizona: The last time the Wildcats played the Bruins was in Los Angeles, where then No. 7 UCLA came away with the big win, defeating Arizona 75-59.

My Prediction: Arizona 73 UCLA 79 – I just don’t have a good feeling here, especially with Azuolas Tubelis still not at 100 percent. To me, UCLA is one of those teams that are just a bad matchup for Arizona. Even though I think it will be closer than it was last time, I still see the Bruins edging out the Wildcats here.