Bruins' Biggest Key Against Gonzaga

The UCLA Bruins look to bounce back after last week's loss as they will take on the top-scoring offense in the country, that of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Bruins' defense has been strong this season and will need to be at their best this Saturday.

Dec 21, 2024; New York, NY, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) drives to the basket while being defended by UCLA Bruins forward William Kyle III (24) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

The No. 22 UCLA Bruins (10-2) are seeking to bounce back from their disappointing upset loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels (8-6) last Saturday night. They will need to play one of their defensive games as they face the No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs (9-3), a dangerous scoring team in all of college basketball.

The Bulldogs are the No. 1 scoring offense in the entire nation, scoring an average of 89.2 points per game. They have dominated most of their competition, with a few ranked losses coming in the past few weeks. They have an elite roster of ball scorers.

On the other side, the Bruins rank outside the top 100 in points per game at just 78.4. Barring another offensive explosion like they had against Prairie View A&M when they scored 111 points, the Bruins will have to rely heavily on their defense to find another big time ranked win.

The Bruins are ranked seventh in the nation in overall defense, allowing just 58.4 points per game. They held a strong Arizona Wildcats team to just 54 points and in their latest game, held the Tar Heels to 76, which is 10 points under their season average.

Bruins coach Mick Cronin prides himself on his team's defensive ability and their ability to force a copious amount of turnovers with numerous deflections and key defensive rebounding. They will need to live up to their current ranking on the defensive end to limit a highly skilled Bulldogs team.

One player to circle on the defensive end for the Bruins is senior guard Kobe Johnson. He may not be lighting up the scoreboard with points at the moment, but his defensive prowess has been sensational all season. Johnson is averaging a team-high in rebounds (5.3) and steals (2.3).

You could not ask for a better matchup coming up this weekend -- the top-scoring team in the country facing a Bruins team that is eager to bounce back after their latest loss with one of the best defensive groups in the nation. It will be a barn burner from start to finish, with highlight plays on both sides.

The two teams will square off this Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. PT at the Intuit Dome, home of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.

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