The UCLA men’s basketball team will have a chance to redeem itself after a blowout loss to Michigan. The Bruins face the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Tuesday.
The Bruins fell to Michigan on Saturday due to a second-half blowout that left UCLA head coach Mick Cronin with plenty to work on. Now UCLA sits at 9-5 in the Big Ten Conference and is running out of opportunities to prove it belongs in the NCAA Tournament.
Here are five storylines for the UCLA-Michigan State game this Tuesday.
Don’t get caught shooting blanks
The Bruins embarrassed themselves against the Michigan Wolverines by putting up a measly 18 points in the second half. After the game, Cronin complained about his team missing eight unguarded threes.
UCLA made 38 percent of its shots from the field and 29 percent beyond the arc. The Bruins will need to be better to defeat the Spartans.
Creating chaos
UCLA defense also faltered in the second half at Michigan, allowing the Wolverines to score 46 points. The Bruins need to get more physical and disciplined in their defensive assignments.
Block shots, create chaos on the perimeter, and be physical in clogging passing lanes. Obviously it’s a tough ask when going against the No. 2 ranked team in the country, but it’s what UCLA needed to do.
Fortunately for UCLA, Michigan State isn’t the same as Michigan. The Bruins need to show they can match up with the Spartans. MSU doesn’t have nearly the offensive firepower Michigan has. It’s time for UCLA to be disruptive on defense. The Bruins can’t win if they don’t defend well.
Rebound
Literally and figuratively the Bruins will need to rebound. They need to have a great performance against the Spartans after a flop against the Wolverines. One of the easiest ways to do that is to take control of the ball.
UCLA had 29 rebounds against Michigan, which was one less than the Wolverines. If UCLA can win extra possessions and limit MSU’s second-chance opportunities, it could be the deciding factor to help the Bruins win.
Don’t get blocked
The Bruins were blocked six times against the Wolverines and cannot allow that to become a theme once again. The Spartans average 4.3 blocks per game and are led by senior center Carson Cooper.
UCLA will need to work on creating open opportunities around the perimeter to carve out more space. The Bruins have to get to the basket with the dribble. Floor spacing will matter.
Bring the light back to the stars
UCLA has a star-studded roster, although it didn’t look like it against the Wolverines. Redshirt senior guard Donovan Dent, senior forward Tyler Bilodeau, sophomore guard Trent Perry and senior guard Skyy Clark have all been stars for UCLA at points this season, and the Bruins will need them to return to their star status in this game.
Saturday at Michigan was Skyy Clark’s first game back from injury. He put up 8 points and was UCLA’s best 3-point shooter. Perry led the Bruins in scoring with 14 points, but Dent and Bilodeau each had 10. The Bruins have the talent and they have a chance to show they can put it together against one of the better teams in the Big Ten.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Five storylines for UCLA’s chance at redemption vs Michigan State
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
