Biggest Winners from UCLA’s Final Exhibition Match Against San Diego

Here's who stood out in UCLA's final exhibition win over San Diego.

Mar 19, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin speaks with the media before a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bruins put together a solid second-half performance to handle San Diego at home 82-50, and will now gear up for the real thing.

There were a lot of standouts in this matchup, but these three Bruins provided the best performances of the night for UCLA, and with similar production moving forward, can be special players for this team.

Trent Perry

We didn’t see a ton from Trent Perry last week against Cal Baptist in the first exhibition, mainly due to his early foul trouble he received. However, against San Diego, Perry looked as if he had identified his role well and executed a solid performance.

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) brings the ball up court against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Perry was arguably the best player on the floor for the Bruins against San Diego, as he executed both as a scorer and distributor, putting up 17 points and 7 assists in the win. There were questions as to whether or not Perry would be able to lead this team, and if this performance is any indication of what’s to come, there’s no reason for concern. He looked confident and settled in all night long, and I think all of the hype coming Perry's way this preseason is certainly justified.

Filip Jovic

Jovic provided a major spark in the frontcourt, as he looked polished and physical all night long. A major influence in Jovic’s successful night was his ability to draw contact and get to the free-throw line, as he shot 12 from the charity stripe, converting 10 of them.

Jovic will seemingly be this team’s sixth man moving forward, and deservingly so. He ended the night with 16 points, only trailing Perry. Another aspect of his value will come from his ability to get rebounds, as he grabbed 6 off the glass in the matchup, with 5 of them on offense, giving UCLA second-chance points often.

Auburn Tigers forward Filip Jović (38) and Illinois State Redbirds guard Landon Wolf (4) go for the ball Thursday, April 2, 2026, during an NIT semifinals matchup at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Joe Philon

Two exhibitions down, and two solid performances for freshman Joe Philon. If Philon continues to impact the game as he has, it will be difficult to leave him off the floor for extended periods of time. His versatility allows him to be impactful in many different ways on the court, and against San Diego his value came from his team-leading 8 rebounds and the defensive presence he contributed.

Philon’s length makes him an apt defender, as he came away with 2 blocks and 3 steals on the night. Not to mention, Philon also scored 11 points, proving he can impact the game in just about every avenue.