How Three Crucial Numbers Define UCLA’s Young Season

If the Bruins go on to author a deep postseason run, a few key developments are why.

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) and center Xavier Booker (1) leave the court after playing Arizona. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

UCLA has quickly announced itself as one of the top teams in college basketball.

Now ranked No. 9, the Bruins have pole position in the Big Ten right behind Michigan State (which just beat Duke) and Illinois. Maybe UCLA catches up — but even if it doesn't, it still has a chance to make some major noise on the national stage this year. There are three key statistics that support a Bruins breakout.

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Boards and Bombs

UCLA averages 47 rebounds per game (second in the Big Ten). Those extra chances really matter, especially because the Bruins have the best three-point shooting percentage in the Big Ten. UCLA is the only Big Ten team to hit above 39% from long distance (and it hits 41.4%). Jaylen Petty is a big part of that, as he leads the conference with 3.5 threes per game.

The Bruins' ability to gain extra possessions and turn them into three points is second to none in the Big Ten. On the national scale, UCLA also ranks top-10 in rebound-to-triple rate. If the Bruins go on to author a deep postseason run, rebounding and three-point shots will be a big part of it.

Nov 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Nikola Kusturica (17) shoots a three-point basket in the first half against the North Florida Ospreys at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Assist to Turnover Ratio

UCLA leads the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.67). Assists matter — but the turnovers are the more important part of that statistic. As it turns out, the Bruins have the fewest turnovers in the conference (15). The next closest team, Northwestern, has 24. In close games, the team with fewer turnovers usually snatches victory.

In terms of assists, UCLA is fifth in the Big Ten (40). The ball movement (particularly crisp movement without deflections) will be intriguing to watch over the next few weeks. The Bruins have five straight mid-major games before the schedule heats up again.

Nov 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) smiles after a three-point basket in the first half against the North Florida Ospreys at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Offensive Balance

At this moment, seven Bruins are averaging at least eight points per game. Nikola Kusturica, Petty and Trent Perry are the key leaders (16-plus points per game), but in general, there are a myriad of ways through which this team can score. That matters.

Duke learned this the hard way. Against the Spartans in a top-five matchup, the Blue Devils fell short because they couldn't get enough scoring from guards not named John Blackwell. UCLA can learn from these high-stakes games — a good team will always defeat an elite individual or two. Luckily for the Bruins, it's looking like they have a complete roster.