UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: Bruins' Upcoming Games and More

Our latest episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast previews the Bruins' upcoming men's basketball games with just two more before the turn of the new year and gives an update on multiple coaching changes on the football team.

Dec 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first half against the Prairie View A&M Panthers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In this episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, UCLA Bruins On SI beat writer Tom Cavanaugh previews the next few upcoming non-conference games for men's basketball before they resume Big Ten play in January and gives a few coaching hire updates within the football program.

You can watch the episode below:

The No. 18 Bruins men's basketball team just won their ninth straight game with a home victory over Prairie View A&M by 36 points, scoring their highest point total of the season (111). They will need to carry that offensive onslaught in their next two games, which feature some of the nation's best.

This coming Saturday, the Bruins will travel to the East Coast to match up with the North Carolina Tar Heels (6-5) on Saturday afternoon. The Tar Heels have played one of the toughest schedules in the country, featuring four losses to teams ranked inside the top 10.

The Bruins will look to keep their hot hand and extend their win streak to 10 games against the Tar Heels before taking a week off and finishing the calendar year with another neutral site battle with the No. 13 Gonzaga Bulldogs. Both games will be absolute thrillers as the Bruins continue to thrive.

The Bruins football program has made two major coaching additions official in the past several days, starting with new secondary coach Demetrice Martin. The former Oregon Ducks and Michigan State Spartans assistant coach is on his way back to the Bruins program, where he had been on staff from 2012 to 2017.

Martin has a litter of experience, coaching a handful of big-time programs and will have a litter of talent to work with this year in Pasadena. The Bruins earned multiple key transfers in the secondary this offseason and Martin is a great fit to rejoin the program for his second stint with the Bruins.

The other notable coaching hire is the promotion of Scott White to associate head coach and inside linebackers coach. White served as a defensive analyst for the Bruins in 2024 and worked with the linebacker group throughout the season. He has been given a much larger role in 2025.

White has been a member of the program for years as he spent six years with the Bruins from 2011-2017, overlapping with Martin's time with the team. The two will reunite and work hand in hand to prepare the linebacker and secondary groups for Week 1 against the Utah Utes.

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