Bruins Forward Talks Breakout Performance

UCLA junior forward William Kyle III posted a season-high 12 points on Friday night in a home victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes to snap a four-game skid. If the Bruins want to be a dangerous Big Ten team, they will need Kyle to continue to impress.

Dec 14, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; UCLA Bruins forward William Kyle III (24) against the Arizona Wildcats at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (12-6, 3-4) received an outstanding performance from junior forward William Kyle III that marked a breakout performance for him as a Bruin. After transferring from South Dakota State this past offseason, Kyle is establishing a strong role for this team in the post.

In Friday night's crushing win over the Iowa Hawkeyes (12-6, 3-4), Kyle posted a season-high 12 points on 6-7 shooting. He played 27 minutes off the bench for Coach Mick Cronin, grabbing four rebounds and a steal with zero turnovers. He undoubtedly had his best game as a Bruin.

Kyle had just 15 minutes of playing time over the past three games with zero points in that span. He made sure that it would not be another frustrating performance for him and dominated the Hawkeyes post players.

The former Jackrabbit spoke to the media following the win and was asked about what went into his stellar performance and the energy that he provided after a tough last few games. Kyle spoke on the competitive nature of the entire team pushing through to snap that four-game losing skid.

"I would def definitely contribute it to practice," Kyle said. "Just like 'E-Day' [Eric Dailey Jr.] said, we've all been challenging each other on a daily basis following the losing streak that we've been having, so we know that's not the expectation at UCLA. I would say pushing each other at practice and I feel like it kind of showed up today in the game for me. The guys kept finding me, we were just playing really unselfish, so I just felt like that was a big part with today."

One area the Bruins were lacking in before Kyle's breakout game was their paint presence. Rivaling other big men in the Big Ten conference has not been easy for them so far this season, but having Kyle elevate his game will pay dividends for them in that aspect.

Kyle is on his way to becoming the centerpiece of the post, working alongside junior forward Tyler Bilodeau and sophomore center Aday Mara. UCLA is not the biggest team, but if Kyle can put together consistent performances like Friday night, they will be in great shape down the stretch.

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