UCLA Men’s Basketball Transfers Excel in Exhibition Game Against Cal State LA, Lifting the Bruins to a 100-64 Victory
The Bruins, led by forward Tyler Bilodeau’s 24-point performance, defeated the Cal State LA Golden Eagles 100-64 on the eve of Halloween at Pauley Pavilion, exerting their will in the paint from the opening tip-off.
A new-look Bruins’ frontcourt, which features Bilodeau, William Kyle III, and Eric Dailey Jr., posted 60 points in the paint, while the Golden Eagles could only muster 12 points in the paint on the night.
To complement this domination in the paint, the Bruins shot over 50% from beyond the arc, with transfer guard Skyy Clark draining all three of his three-point attempts. He would finish the game with 17 points.
This is a welcoming sign for the Bruins, since they only shot 33.2% from the three-point last season, where they ranked 10th in the Pac-12.
“We got a lot of guys that can do a lot of things,” said Clark after the game.
Transfer guard Kobe Johnson’s performance perfectly reflects this sentiment. Although Johnson wouldn’t reach double-digit points, his ability to facilitate the basketball, which is reflected through his 11-assist performance, was instrumental in the Bruins’ win.
Despite offensive and frontcourt successes, the Bruins struggled to contain the Golden Eagles’ shooters on the perimeter. Guard Jaden Lazo would finish 8/13 from beyond the arc, and the Golden Eagles would catch nylon on 14/27 shots from the three-point line.
The Bruins will look to start their inaugural season in the Big Ten against the Rider Broncos at Pauley Pavilion on November 4th, where they expect to begin their journey to the March Madness Tournament.
