The 2023-24 edition of the UCLA men's basketball roster was already far removed from the one that captured last season's Pac-12 regular-season championship.

However, with the Bruins down two key returners and a pair of international additions for Tuesday's exhibition opener, UCLA essentially came dressed as an incomplete product for the Halloween affair.

Playing with mostly a four-guard lineup, UCLA put six players in double figures and defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills 97-56 at Pauley Pavilion. Freshman combo guard Sebastian Mack scored 14 of his game-high 23 points in the first half and added seven assists.

Utah transfer Lazar Stefanovic added 19 points and seven rebounds, big men Kenneth Nwuba and Devin Williams scored 13 apiece, freshman Jan Vide chipped in 12 and Ilane Fibleuil had 10. Fibleuil also collected a game-high 10 rebounds to record a double-double.

“It is good to get a game in against a different opponent,” Mack said. “We’ve been playing against each other all day in practice, working as a team, I would say you need something like this. It keeps us on toes and ready to compete every time.”

Bruins head coach Mick Cronin said he was "very happy" with the team's overall effort and the 41 deflections the coaching staff charted from the bench.

"You guys all know we only had eight scholarship guys tonight," Cronin said. "Unfortunately, I'm used to coaching without my (full) team. Last season, the conference tournament, the (NCAA) tournament, the summer, Spain, so it's a bad habit. I'd like to end it."

Before the game, the program confirmed 7-foot-3 Spanish center Aday Mara and 6-foot-9 Turkish forward Berke Buyuktuncel were held out for precautionary reasons as they await clearance from the NCAA. Both have been practicing regularly and were suited up and participated in pre-game warm-ups.

The Bruins also were without sophomore forward/center Adem Bona, who continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury suffered in last season's Pac-12 tournament, and sophomore point guard Dylan Andrews.

Bona was held out at Cronin's discretion despite saying last Friday he is ready to play. Cronin said Bona will return for the Bruins' regular-season opener. Andrews was held out for precautionary reasons while dealing with general soreness from practice.

The Bruins led by 16 early in the opening half before an 8-0 Toros run trimmed the lead to 31-23 with 5:49 left. In that stretch, UCLA went scoreless for more than three minutes thanks to three turnovers.

The Bruins eventually took a 46-28 lead into the halftime break and piled on in the second half.

In the second half, Fibleuil showed off a smooth mid-range touch early, and later his strong take to the basket for a dunk through contact and a traditional three-point play pushed the UCLA advantage to 60-35 at the 12:44 mark.

The Bruins will open the regular season Nov. 6 against Saint Francis (Pennsylvania). Tip-off at Pauley Pavilion is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and will air on Pac-12 Network.

The combo guard needed less than five full minutes to show off his scoring prowess. Mack made his first three shots, including a pair of 3-pointers and one was of the stepback variety.

Mack scored eight of the Bruins' first 12 points and had an assist to get UCLA out to an early 12-7 lead at the first break in action.

It was not a completely smooth half for Mack, though. At the 4:19 mark, Mack blew a fastbreak dunk and promptly took a fall before quickly getting back to his feet. He was then subbed out six seconds later.

Mack finished 9 of 14 from the field while also handling the team's point guard duties.

Stefanovic missed just one of his seven shots from the floor, connected on all three of his 3-point attempts and all four of his free throws. His presence, along with Fibleuil's on the glass, helped make up for the absence of size in the paint.

“I’ve been working a lot on my shot, offseason, especially,” Stefanovic said. “With the coaches every day I’m shooting, and I ask the coaches to stay after practice. I know not every game is going to be like this, but I’ve just got to keep shooting and keep working, and hopefully the ball’s going to go in more than it doesn’t.”

In the midst of a 13-2 run late in the first half, Mack found Nwuba on a nifty lob and dunk to push the lead to 42-23:

Starters

C Kenneth Nwuba: 13 pts on 3-of-4 FGs, 7 of 7 FTs, 3 rebs, 2 blks

G Lazar Stefanovic: 19 pts on 6-of-7 FGs (3 of 3 3-ptrs), 7 rebs, 2 stls

G Ilane Fibleuil: 10 pts on 4-of-8 FGs (1 of 4 3-ptrs), 10 rebs

G Sebastian Mack: 23 pts on 9-of-14 FGs (2 of 4 3-ptrs), 7 assts

G Will McClendon: 5 pts on 1-of-5 FGs (0 of 3 3-ptrs), 5 rebs

Bench

G Jan Vide: 12 pts on 3-of-5 FGs, 6 of 9 FTs, 3 rebs, 3 assts

F Devin Williams: 13 pts on 6-of-9 FGs, 5 rebs, 2 blks

F Brandon Williams: 2 pts on 1-of-3 FGs (0 of 1 3-ptrs), 2 stls

F Logan Cremonesi: 1 reb

F Evan Manjikian: 0 pts on 0-of-1 FGs (0 of 1 3-ptrs)

G Jack Seidler: No stats

C Aday Mara: DNP (awaiting NCAA clearance)

F/C Adem Bona: DNP (coaches' decision, shoulder)

F Berke Buyuktuncel: DNP (awaiting NCAA clearance)

PG Dylan Andrews: DNP (coaches' decision, soreness)