Gonzaga and UCLA meet once again at the Maui Invitational
Gonzaga men's basketball will conclude its run at the Maui Invitational against a familiar foe with a new look this time around.
For the fourth consecutive season, No. 11 Gonzaga will battle UCLA on a neutral-site court when the two West Coast basketball powers face off Wednesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Bulldogs have ended the Bruins' season twice in iconic fashion over the years, from Jalen Suggs' halfcourt buzzer-beater in the 2021 Final Four to Julian Strawther's go-ahead triple in the 2023 Sweet 16 matchup last March. While fans of both sides can recall each memory vividly, the teams themselves will look much different when they square off in Hawaii.
The Bruins (4-1) lost their top five scorers from last season's 31-6 squad, with the only returning starter being 6-foot-10 post Adem Bona. The reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year has taken on an expanded role as a sophomore, averaging 15.8 points and 7.0 rebounds. As an early contender for the Wooden Award, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin expects Bona to live up to that hype as one of the best big men in the country.
Sophomore guard Dylan Andrews rejoins Bona as an impactful returner, though it's been four-star freshman Sebastian Mack who's taken the lead in the backcourt. The 6-foot-3 Chicago native has made an impact from day one with 15.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Mack headlines a group of six newcomers to Westwood, California, that's filled with international flavor. Serbian and Utah transfer Lazar Stefanovic joined the Bruins after knocking down 35.9% of his 3-point attempts as a freshman in 2022-23. He hasn't gotten off to as hot of a start with his new team, though he still chips in 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 33.3% from deep.
Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 freshman from Spain, and 6-foot-7 Slovenian wing Jan Vide are making the adjustment to the college game, as both average around 9-12 minutes.
Even with the abundance of newcomers, Cronin's Bruins are still tough on the defensive end of the floor. UCLA is 13th in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom after finishing No. 3 in that category last season. Granted the schedule hasn't presented many challenges outside of a 71-69 loss to No. 4 Marquette in the first round of the Maui Invitational, a game in which the Bruins had two chances to tie it up in the final 10 seconds. If not for Sean Jones' late 3-pointer, UCLA could've been the one to face No. 1 Kansas for a shot at the championship round on Wednesday.
While Gonzaga's offense receives a lot of attention, the defense has been much improved to start the 2023-24 campaign. After holding the Boilermakers, the No. 2 offense on KenPom, to just 1.000 points per possession, the Zags held Syracuse to just .80 PPP. The offense has been incredible at 87.0 points per game, but credit to the defense that's ranked 11th in KenPom.
Off the heals of a 76-57 win over Syracuse, Gonzaga's offense has survived in the paint and struggled from beyond the arc at the Maui Invitational. The Zags (3-1) have converted 13-of-52 (25%) 3-point attempts but managed to split their first two games in Hawaii with a dominant showing inside against Syracuse, as they scored 44 points in the paint and outrebounded the Orange 48-28 on Tuesday. Gonzaga's 25 second-chance points off 17 offensive rebounds highlighted a commitment to controlling the glass, an aspect the Bruins have excelled in thus far into the young season.
UCLA has won the rebounding battle in all five of their games and ranks 13th in the nation in offensive rebounding per KenPom. The Bruins went 19-1 last season in games they outrebounded their opponent, and at their current rate, dominating the boards will lead to more success in 2023-24.
Gonzaga hasn't been beaten on the boards yet this season, with an average margin of +16.7 per game. With it being each team's third game in as many days, it will come down to which program can muster the most hustle needed to control the pace.
For the Bulldogs, Graham Ike has averaged a double-double through two Maui Invitational games with 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Nolan Hickman averages 15.0 points as well, with Ryan Nembhard at 11.0 points per game.
