Can Bruins' Defense Step Up Against Bitter Rivals?

The most consistent part about the UCLA men's basketball team this season has been its defense. Can it pull another rabbit out of the hat to hold off its biggest rivals?

Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) and guard Kobe Johnson (0) trap Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff (34) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins have come back to life after their four-game skid, winning their last three games, and at the right time. With the USC Trojans next on the agenda for the Bruins, UCLA will need to bring the factor that has kept it in most of its games: the defense.

The Bruins' defense still sits atop of the Big Ten, as they averagely allow 64.5 points per game. At one point this season, UCLA had one of the top defenses in the country, before coming back down to earth.

Lucky for UCLA, the Trojans' offense this season has been among the middle of the pack. Ranking 12th in the Big Ten Conference, the Trojans have averaged 77.1 points per game, on the backs of junior guard Desmond Claude and senior guard Chibuzo Agbo.

The Bruins' offense has not been the best this season, as their defense has carried them most of the way. The highest point total dropped for UCLA this season was 111 in its blowout victory over the Prairie View A&M Panthers.

The UCLA defense has been locked up with senior guard Kobe Johnson. The former Trojan will look to continue his team leading rebounds per game and steals against his former program, especially if it could erase the Bruins four-game skid with four straight wins to follow.

Other defensive assets for the Bruins this season have been junior guard Sky Clark, who is averaging 1.5 steals per game. Over the winning streak, Clark has six steals, averaging two per game. That trend will only help the Bruins, as the extra motivation to take down USC could push Clark to a new season high in steals.

When it comes to rebounding, the Bruins have strong depth behind Johnson. Junior forward Tyler Bilodeau (whose status for the game is to be determined), sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr, and the 7-foot-3 sophomore center Aday Mara all have been strong contributors to keeping the ball in UCLA's possession.

On the win streak, the Bruins have allowed their opponents to score an average of 71 points. If the Bruins cannot keep the Trojans to under 75 points, USC might get the upper hand on UCLA once again.

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