UCLA basketball does not have elite scorers. Mick Cronin teams are built on defense, but when UCLA did go to the Final Four and the Sweet 16 in recent seasons, it had guys it could count on in crunch time, such as Johnny Juzang, Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez. They could all get big buckets. Tyler Bilodeau appears to be UCLA’s number one option this season, the player the Bruins should trust the most in big situations. In many ways, the biggest question of the season is who will become an equally or similarly reliable second option, and can anyone stick as a dependable 3-point shooter, especially late in games?
Dylan Andrews had his big moment against Oregon, but don’t expect him or anyone to bank in a long shot before the buzzer on a regular basis. Sebastian Mack, Kobe Johnson, and Skyy Clark have had some moments, but none of them average at least 10 points per game. They aren’t pure scorers. They aren’t elite shooters. This should lead everyone to an obvious conclusion about UCLA basketball: The Bruins need to get to the rim on offense. They shouldn’t be firing away from the perimeter.
Against Nebraska, UCLA did not get the memo. The Bruins, when they shot 2-point shots, were actually really good. They made 18 of 29 twos. Three-point shots were another story. UCLA took 28 and made only four. That’s 14 percent. UCLA made over 60 percent of twos.
Mick Cronin needs to make sure UCLA understands what a good shot is, also what a bad shot is. Coaches have to get their players to take the right shots on a consistent basis.