Both No. 22-ranked UCLA and unranked New Mexico head into Friday’s neutral-court matchup in Henderson, Nevada, coming off season-opening wins. They just took much different routes to get there.
UCLA (1-0) had little trouble with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent Rider on Monday, as the Bruins pounced on the Broncs early in an 85-50 blowout. A mostly new-look UCLA lineup clicked immediately.
Oregon State transfer forward Tyler Bilodeau led four Bruins scoring in double-figures with 18 points and Southern California transfer Kobe Johnson added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Their contributions, along with Louisville transfer Skyy Clark’s game-high seven assists, set the tone for UCLA, which is leaning on veteran newcomers along with talented returning guards Dylan Andrews and Sebastian Mack.
“We’ve just got more skilled players, and they’re older,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said. “Guys get better as they go. I know this is a different time where everyone wants to be great right away, but it’s just not reality.”
Andrews and Mack, who played central roles for the 2023-24 Bruins as underclassmen, joined Bilodeau and Johnson in double-figures scoring on Monday with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
“That’s the motto of this team, next man up,” Johnson said. “If one of us gets in foul trouble like Skyy did, you’ve got to have people like Sebastian who steps up to be able to play the minutes that he got, be able to contribute, and help the team win.”
New Mexico (1-0) saw the value of experience in its opening-night win over Nicholls, courtesy of senior big man Nelly Junior Joseph.
The Lobos had their hands full in the 91-84 victory Monday, but Junior Joseph’s career-high-tying 28 points paced New Mexico. He also grabbed 16 rebounds to record his 44th career double-double.
“I expected the season to start like that, because I worked out with the team during the summer,” said Junior Joseph, who last year did not begin practicing with the Lobos until just before the start of the campaign. “We know how to play together. I expect the season to be like this.”
Junior Joseph attacked the rim effectively and generated 12 free-throw attempts. He made 10 to go with his 9-of-15 shooting from the floor.
His frontcourt mate and another veteran, Mustapha Amzil, added his own double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Junior guard Donovan Dent, one of the top returning players from last season’s Mountain West Conference tournament-winning team, scored 15 points and dished 11 assists.
Friday marks the Lobos’ return to the Las Vegas area, where they qualified for their first NCAA Tournament since 2014 by running the table at the conference tournament. Dent, a second-team All-Mountain West honoree a season ago, helped ignite New Mexico’s championship run with 22 points in the quarterfinals vs. Boise State.
Dent’s playmaking ability is central to a potent New Mexico offense. In 2023-24, he ranked No. 51 among all Div. I players in assist rate, per KenPom.com metrics, and is off to a flying start in 2024-25.
Expect UCLA’s Johnson, a standout perimeter defender during his time at USC, to play a part in trying to contain Dent. Johnson ranked No. 30 in the nation with steals generated on 4.1 percent of all opponent possessions when he was on the floor last season, per KenPom.com.
–Field Level Media
