Ahead of UCLA’s Pac-12 date with Utah this weekend, one player has their eyes on revenge.
UCLA lost to Utah in an embarrassing fashion in January on the road. In the near-historic beatdown, the Bruins lost 90-44. In the only game where UCLA failed to crack the 50-point threshold, things looked bleak for the Bruins. At 6-10, their high hope for a competitive season in the Pac-12 looked far-fetched.
But after a recent turnaround, winning five straight and seven of their last eight, the Bruins find themselves comfortably in the mix for good seeding in the Pac-12 tournament and potentially an NCAA tournament bid.
One Bruin, Brandon Williams, is looking forward to their rematch this Sunday.
#UCLA’s Brandon Williams said he’s looking forward to playing Utah Saturday. “I got some revenge for them.”
— Bruin Report Online (@BruinReport) February 13, 2024
Williams’ sentiment is likely shared by the entire locker room. Williams, who scored only two points coming off the bench on 1-2 shooting with a rebound, was one of many who struggled against the Utes in January.
And with both teams jockeying for positioning in the standings, there is a lot on the line for both teams. Should the Bruins win, they would draw closer to the overall #2 seed in the conference, potentially leapfrogging Oregon and Washington State. With a loss, the Bruins could fall back to the #5 seed in the conference.
The Pac-12 championship is less than a month away, and with the Bruins playing only conference members to close out the year, every game counts. With revenge on the mind, the Bruins look to keep rolling at home against Utah.