UCLA’s Biggest Flaw Exposed in Loss to Wisconsin

The Bruins would drop 80-72 to a decent Wisconsin team, that UCLA could have easily beat on a different night.

It has been no mystery that this current Bruins team has struggled to get things going this season. After the loss to the Badgers, the Bruins now sit at 10-5 and 8th in the Big Ten, not a good look for a team that entered this season ranked No. 12 in the nation.

The Bruins Biggest Flaw

Dec 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts on the sidelines in the first half against the UC Riverside Highlanders at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The most glaring issue during the Bruins' two-game losing streak has been their inability to start fast and hard. The first half against Iowa was simply abysmal, and the story was not that different against Wisconsin, where the Bruins would trail 45-31 entering the second half.

At one point the Bruins would give up a 13-0 run, falling behind by 20 with 9:22 left in the first half. This is simply not winning basketball, and by no margin will UCLA be able to pick up the pieces if they cannot figure out what is causing these slow start.

The problem really stems from the Bruins' "stars" not being able to make an impact quickly enough. Tyler Bilodeau was only able to score his first points in the game late in the first half, and it was ultimately up to Trent Perry and Brandon Williams, two bench players, to get the scoring going.

Skyy Clark's absence did not help either, as he is an intergal part in the Bruins offensive output. Without his shooting ability the Bruins did not make a first half three, and finished the game 1-of-17 from three in this game.

Jan 3, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) controls the ball against Iowa Hawkeyes guard Isaia Howard (23) during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

It really seems like the Bruins only start to get things going when the hole they dug themselves it too deep to fill. While we have seen flashes once this happens, the Bruins really need to figure out as this won't led to wins down the road.

It has been nice to see Donovan Dent and Eric Dailey Jr have great second-half performances, but we really need to see these performances align once in a while. Consistency is key to prolonged success, and the Bruins have not shown that.

Dec 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts on the sidelines in the second half against the UC Riverside Highlanders at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Moving forward, the Bruins really need to get things going early, or they will not be able to turn things around. Both Iowa and Wisconsin granted perfect oppurtunites for UCLA to look like the team they were suppose to in the offseason.

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