UCLA Bruins vs Washington State Cougars Prediction & Match Preview - February 11, 2021 | NCAA Men's Basketball
The UCLA Bruins are set to hit the road following a brutal loss to the USC Trojans and will hope to bounce back and stay in the hunt for a PAC-12 title. Hosting the Bruins will be the Washington State Cougars, who have struggled since opening their conference schedule. UCLA enters this matchup tied for first place in the PAC-12 standings with USC.
Match Details
Fixture: UCLA Bruins vs. Washington State Cougars - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Thursday, February 11th, 2021, 11 PM ET
Venue: Beasley Coliseum, Pullman, Washington
UCLA Bruins Preview
The UCLA Bruins suffered their biggest loss of the season against their in-state rivals, the USC Trojans, last week. The Bruins' offense was only able to tally a mere 48 points in the defeat, falling to 9-2 in PAC-12 play.
Having lost two of their last three games, the UCLA Bruins must regain focus and find their rhythm as the conference tournament nears. The Washington State Cougars were no match for the Bruins in their first meeting this season, with UCLA taking a huge 30-point victory at home.
Key Player - Tyger Campbell
Sophomore guard Tyger Campbell has felt the struggles alongside his teammates recently, averaging just 8 points over his last two games.
Campbell is averaging 11.2 points and a team-high 5.9 assists per game but has been unable to find his stroke from the three-point line.
The UCLA Bruins are shooting 36% from beyond as a team, but their young guard enters Thursday's matchup shooting just 28.6% from three.
Tyger Campbell will need to step up and help his team get back to their winning ways on the road.
UCLA Bruins' Predicted Lineup
F Cody Riley, G Jules Bernard, G Tyger Campbell, G Jamie Jaquez Jr., G Johnny Juzang
Washington State Cougars Preview
The Washington State Cougars have fallen into quite the slump since opening their conference schedule. They have lost 8 of their last 11 games, falling in their most recent matchup against the Oregon State Beavers by a 2-point margin.
The Cougars' offense has not been producing with enough consistency to stay in the hunt for the PAC-12, averaging only 67 points per game.
When they host the red-hot UCLA Bruins on Thursday, the Washington State Cougars will need to put all of their pieces together and play their best basketball for a win.
Key Player - Issac Bonton
The biggest star for the Washington State offense this year has been Issac Bonton.
The senior guard is getting the most out of his final year in college, averaging a team-high 18.1 points and 4.1 assists per game.
The UCLA Bruins' defenders will be tough and physical, but a big game from Bonton could be the difference in the game.
On Thursday night, the Cougars' offense will likely be powered by Issac Bonton once again as they try to get back on track with a victory.
Washington State Cougars Predicted Lineup
F D.J. Rodman, C Efe Abogidi, C Dishon Jackson, G Issac Bonton, G Noah Williams
UCLA vs Washington State Prediction
The UCLA Bruins are fighting to stay atop the PAC-12 standings after the USC Trojans tied them for first place with their most recent victory.
Offensively, the Bruins appear to match up with the Washington State Cougars very well. If guards Tyger Campbell and Issac Bonton trade shots, the Bruins will have the advantage in the paint.
The Cougars will need their best game on both ends of the court to outlast UCLA in this matchup.
Where to watch UCLA vs Washington State
The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports One.