UCLA's Johnson Ties Season High in Victory

The UCLA Bruins needed a huge performance from Kobe Johnson, and he delivered.

Dec 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kobe Johnson (0) dribbles the ball against the Prairie View A&M Panthers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The No. 22 UCLA Bruins took down the No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs in what came down to the final seconds of the game. Though he did not get a shot off in the final efforts to initially land the victory, senior guard Kobe Johnson surely did his part for the Bruins in the winning effort.

Tying a season high with 12 points, Johnson was exceptional beyond the inner circle, drilling four out of six 3-Point shots. While Johnson has been highly touted as a defense-first type player, Johnson proved to the Bulldogs that the senior still knows how to shoot the basketball for his squad.

Johnson also ended the game with eight rebounds -- seven of them coming on a defense front -- had one assist, one steal, one block and two turnovers in his efforts. Brought in as an experienced collegiate veteran, Johnson has lived up to the hype for the Bruins this season.

This was not the first time this season Johnson has dropped 12 points, as he has done so three other times. Each time Johnson has dropped 10 or more points this season, the Bruins have walked away victorious.

Johnson not only leads the team in average rebounds per game, but he also ranks No. 1 for the Bruins in assists and steals. Though the assists and steal numbers were down against Gonzaga, Johnson makes sure to excel in other areas to help the team.

On the season, Johnson has averaged 7.1 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 turnovers. He also helped his own cause with his 3-point success rate, which sat at 25% going into the game against the Bulldogs.

Averaging 26.7 minutes on the court, Johnson continues to prove to be the type of player that can be efficient and unselfish if it means his contributions could land UCLA the victory. After UCLA's loss to North Carolina, the Bruins bounced back well and did not miss a beat against another strong contender.

This UCLA team has looked good to start its season but now must turn its focus to Nebraska as Big Ten battles heat up again.

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