LOS ANGELES — The UCLA men’s basketball team will look to extend its winning streak to four games when it plays at Pac-12 rival Stanford on Wednesday night. The Bruins (11-11 overall, 6-5 Pac-12) have won five of their last six games, holding opponents to 60.6 points per game in those victories.
Stanford (11-10, 6-5) beat UCLA, 59-53, at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 3. The Bruins led 30-26 at halftime but shot only 32.8% from the field as part of what would become a four-game losing streak.
The Bruins are coming off a pair of 71-63 home victories over Oregon and Oregon State, after which sophomore guard Dylan Andrews was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the first time on Monday. Andrews, who grew up in Gardena, averaged 19.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals.
“Player development is so important,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “It’s been my whole career. You have to get guys who are good guys that will work hard and listen and you have to get them from people that don’t think coaching is holding their players back because that’s an epidemic in basketball. You have to recruit kids from families and coaches that believe in player development.”
Andrews’ fellow starters were excited when they heard the news.
“I was happy for him,” freshman guard Mack said. “I texted him and called him and let him know that that’s what we deserve and that’s what we needed and just keep going, keep playing the way you’re playing, you’re doing a good job and you’re helping lead us in the right way.”
Said forward Adem Bona: “Dylan has been playing very well for the past six games. I would say the whole team has been playing well for the past six games, but especially Dylan on the defensive end, offensively.”
“The main thing I would say is confidence with him,” guard Lazar Stefanovic said. “He’s really in control of the game. He plays at his own pace.”
