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Preview: UCLA vs. Northwestern
Steve Alford has No. 21 UCLA off to a flying start in his first year on the Bruins’ sidelines. UCLA, which has scored over 100 points in back-to-back games, aims for its first 7-0 start to the season since the 2007-08 campaign when it faces Northwestern in the final round of the Las Vegas Invitational on Friday night. Jordan Adams has paced the high-powered Bruins attack, leading the team in scoring every game while averaging 22 points.
Northwestern looked overmatched at times dropping a 78-67 decision to Missouri in its contest on Thursday. The Wildcats got a fine first half from JerShon Cobb, who finished with a game-high 22 points, but they were dominated on the backboards and couldn’t match the Tigers’ speed. That could spell major trouble against the athletic Bruins, who are averaging 90.2 points.
ABOUT UCLA (6-0): UCLA put five players in double figures on the way to a convincing 105-84 win over Nevada on Thursday at the Orleans Arena. Freshman Zach LaVine came off the bench to match Adams with 21 points as the Bruins led by 17 points at the half and cruised home. Kyle Anderson continued his torrid pace falling just five assists shy of his second triple-double in three games.
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (4-3): The Wildcats may be without leading scoring Drew Crawford, who notched only two points in Thursday’s game while sitting out the entire second half with a left shoulder injury. Crawford missed the entire 2012-13 season following surgery on the same shoulder. The Wildcats were seriously hampered by foul problems Thursday, losing forward Sanjay Lumpkin with 6:15 to play while center Alex Olah picked up his fourth foul in the opening minutes of the second half, and their lack of depth proved costly.
TIP-INS
1. UCLA crushed Chattanooga 106-65 the game prior to its win over Nevada.
2. UCLA leads the series with Northwestern 3-1, but the teams haven’t played since the Bruins posted an 81-67 victory in 1969 before going on to win the national title.
3. Nathan Taphorn came off the bench to score a career-high 11 points for Northwestern and could provide some relief if Crawford is to miss some time.
PREDICTION: UCLA 91, Northwestern 67
