How UCLA's Start Stacks up to Last Year

From early into their 2023 season, the UCLA Bruins looked lost. Now, through 13 games in 2024, the Bruins look reborn in their early season.

Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin talks to his team during a timeout in the second half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

In 2023, the UCLA Bruins did not have the best stretch over their first 15 games. Going 6-9 over that stretch, the Bruins did not look like the team they do now.

This season, the Bruins are near the top of the Big Ten and have shown great growth through their 13-game stretch.

Through 13 games this year, the Bruins sit with an 11-2 record and have taken down two powerhouses in both the Oregon Ducks and, recently, the Gonzaga Bulldogs. After their nail-biting victory and turning their attention to conference play, the Bruins' confidence levels are high.

Many fans may not understand the importance of a 15-game stretch, as that stretch has the ability to make or break a team's season. If a team were to go 5-10 over a 15-game stretch, they would have to claw back harder than a team sitting with a 7-8 record. Luckily for the Bruins, they are on the right side of the column this season.

From veteran leaders in junior forward Tyler Bilodeau and senior guard Kobe Johnson, their additions have played up to expectations when leading the Bruins through their early season slate. It is also encouraging seeing sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. and long-time Bruin, junior guard Dylan Andrews, add to the production as well.

Bilodeau has led the team in average points this season, while Johnson has taken over the finer details on both offense and defense. Johnson leads UCLA in average assists per game, steals per game and blocks per game, a crucial and underrated statistic that Johnson has flourished in.

UCLA, being its first season in the Big Ten, may have built a team chemistry early on in a stacked conference that could be unbreakable. Watching the Bruins play early in the season, averaging 77.4 points per game up til this point, they may be on the rise and be a serious contender for the Big Ten title as the seasons end.

Already taking two games against Big Ten opponents, the Bruins turn their attention to Nebraska, as they are set to battle it out on Saturday. All of the early success this season may bring a new motive for UCLA under Coach Mick Cronin's era.

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