LOS ANGELES — There’s always some pause in reading too much into an exhibition contest, particularly with UCLA ranked eighth in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 men’s basketball poll.
The result was always going to be a foregone conclusion Wednesday, as the Bruins posted a 93-63 victory over Division II opponent Concordia at Pauley Pavilion.
Senior leaders Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 25 points apiece to lead five double-figure scorers for UCLA, which took a 45-28 advantage into the locker room. Jaquez Jr. also pulled down 11 rebounds to record a double-double.
Jaylen Clark (11 points), David Singleton and Dylan Andrews (10 apiece) rounded out UCLA’s top scorers.
Concordia hung around for most of the first half thanks to UCLA’s 1-of-9 start from the field. The Bruins took their first double-digit lead on a layup from Singleton to go up 29-19 at the 4:38 mark of the first half.
UCLA eventually shook off the rust and made 21 of 34 shots (61.8 percent) in the second half.
The games will now count going forward, starting with the Bruins’ regular-season opener Monday against visiting Sacramento State at 8:30 p.m.
Here’s what stood out in relation to some talking points coming into the season:
The defense
Everything starts with defense for any Mick Cronin-led team. While looking ahead to the season earlier in the week, the UCLA head coach was expecting it to be a “work in progress” for a roster with six true freshmen and two redshirt freshmen.
Big man Adem Bona had a strong debut, showing active hands and recording three of his four first-half blocks inside the final minute. He also didn’t pick up his first foul until the 7:09 mark of the second half. The 6-foot-10 forward finished with five blocks.
Cronin and the coaching staff also track the team’s deflections, with Bona accounting for 15 of 50, and Clark had a game-high six steals.
Yet, aside from Bona, Cronin said he was disappointed with the overall effort in the halfcourt and added that it starts with Jaquez Jr. and Campbell.
The Eagles made 12 3-pointers, including 8 of 17 in the second half, and Cronin pointed to the drives to the basket that led to kickouts beyond the arc.
“We’re a bad defensive team,” Cronin said. “Not happy with our veteran players defensively. … Our veteran guys were not good defensively, at all. So, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Jaquez Jr. accepted blame for allowing Concordia forward Lance Coleman II to score 23 points, with six of his seven made field goals coming on 3-pointers.
“I think a lot of it was on my part,” Jaquez Jr. said. “Being a leader, I wasn’t as focused as I needed to be coming into this game.”
