How Dailey's Impact Can Save UCLA's Season

Breaking down UCLA's most underrated player in the last few games

Jan 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts during a play in the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

A player's recent impact for UCLA has seriously changed the trajectory of the Bruins season.

Eric Dailey Jr, while at times has been inconsistent for the Bruins, has really been able to fill a void that has been left all season with the lack of a true center. While not a slight at Xavier Booker, his rebounding at times can be nonexistent .

Why UCLA Needs Eric Dailey Jr

Jan 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) and guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) box out Northwestern Wildcats forward Nick Martinelli (2) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Bruins' biggest flaw this season has been their poor rebounding. They are averaging 31.9 rebounds per game, which ranks them among the lowest in the nation at 444th. This, in turn, has caused a lot of issues on the defensive side of things, as UCLA has been terrible at limiting second-chance points.

In comes Eric Dailey Jr, UCLA's best rebounder, who on the season is averaging a solid, but not good, 5.7 rebounds per game. While this number might appear low now, in a couple of games, if Dailey Jr is able to stay on the right trajectory, it could be much higher by March.

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) reacts after a 3-point basket in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In Dailey Jr's last two outings he is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game, a figure which has made UCLA a better team defensivley overall. In those last two games for UCLA, they have given up 67 to Purdue and just recently 64 to Northwestern. While those games were not perfect, it is a step in the right direction.

Without Dailey Jr's rebounding efforts, the Bruins would be in very bad shape. While it was mentioned earlier that Xavier Booker has started to find his groove in that regard, it is simply not sustainable for him to be UCLA's leading rebounder. Eric Dailey Jr is a must-have for UCLA to finish the season.

Biggest Critiques

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and Purdue Boilermakers guard Omer Mayer (17) battle for a rebound in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Mentioned earlier, it has not been all sunshine and rainbows for Dailey Jr this season. He has had a few games where he has scored under five points this season, proving that his inconsistencies can be deterimental if they come at the wrong time.

His scoring comes into question a lot. At times, Dailey Jr takes really bad shots, which in turn creates points the other way. Fouling has also become an issue, as in UCLA's last two games, he is averaging three fouls per game. In that time, he is also averaging three turnovers per game.

While these issues can be hard to ignore at times, Dailey Jr has been able to play above those when it matters most. If he is able to be more conscious with the ball, UCLA could be in really good shape.

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) reacts after a dunk in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Dailey Jr may be rough around the edges, but still that does not take away from his impact. Moving forward Dailey Jr will play an intregal role in any UCLA success to end the season.

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