UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: Breaking Down UCLA's Matchup vs Northwestern

Today we will take a deep-dive into UCLA's matchup against Northwestern.

The Bruins are coming off a huge win against No. 4 Purdue. While this, in theory, should mean that UCLA should have no trouble vs Northwestern, that sentiment could not be further from the truth. Northwestern has a roster that has the capabilities of spoiling UCLA's season.

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Numbers to Know

Jan 14, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin gestures to his players from the bench during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Entering this matchup, the Bruins are averaging 77.7 points per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their offense this season ranks them at 163rd in the country, which is one of the best marks in the Cronin-era. Still, they have ways to go until they are where they need to be.

Defensively, the Bruins have struggled, giving up 69.3 points per game, which is one of the worst figures in the Cronin-era, ranking them 73rd in the nation. A lot of this stems from effort and players not being where they are supposed to be. If this does not change, UCLA will have to rely on its spotty offense.

booke — Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Xavier Booker (1) is defended by Purdue Boilermakers guard Gicarri Harris (24) and center Daniel Jacobsen (12) as he drives to the basket in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Bruins rebounding has directly influenced their poor defense this season. In the year, the Bruins are averaging 31.8 rebounds, a number that is still dropping. This figure ranked UCLA 335th in the nation in total rebounding. Moving forward, this needs to be addressed.

Max gree — Jan 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Max Green (10) dribbles the ball against Southern California Trojans forward Jaden Brownell (33) in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On the other side of the country, the Wildcats are very similar to UCLA in terms of raw stats. This season, they are averaging 77.2 points per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Defensively, the Wildcats have struggled, giving up 71.7 points per game, which ranks them 124th nationally.

Rebounding-wise the Cats enter this matchup with a slight edge. As on the season they are averaging 33.2 boards which puts them at 306th in the nation. If UCLA is able to win the battle on the glass they should have no issues in this one.

Keys to the Game

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) drives past Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The bottom-line for UCLA is that Northwestern is a struggling team, meaning it won't take much to get a win here. However, UCLA has found themselves in some very concerning situations in past when facing off against inferior teams, such as Cal or Cal Poly.

Mentioned earlier, Northwestern has players who can flip this game on its head for UCLA. One of those players is Nick Martinelli, who is the nation's top scorer, averaging 23.6 points per game. If UCLA can limit him, they should have no issues during this one.

The overarching theme for the Bruins in this one is simple: they can’t afford to let their foot off the gas. A dominant win here could provide real momentum as they head into the toughest stretch of their schedule.

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