UCLA Report Card vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Who Starred, Who Bombed

The report cards are in on UCLA's dominant win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Wednesday night, and let's just say the grades are exemplary from the 69-point win, the largest in UCLA basketball history.

Defense: A+

There's truly no other grade to give this defense other than an A-plus, and honestly, you could throw in a couple more “pluses” if you're feeling generous, because that's how good and dominant this defense was all night long.

Nov 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins associate head coach Darren Savino, head coach Mick Cronin, assistant coach Rod Palmer and assistant coach Nemanja Jovanovic on the bench 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

Holding a team to 37 points in the full 40 minutes is a feat in itself, and when you add in the fact that they forced 30 turnovers, scored 45 points off those turnovers, and forced the Golden Lions to shoot 27% from the field, it really should get UCLA fans amped up.

Offense: A+

Back-to-back A-plus grades for both the offense and the defense, as UCLA scored 106 points while shooting 59% from the field and 46% from deep. Both were exceptional rates of efficiency on the night.

Nov 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Nikola Kusturica (17) dunks 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

UCLA's offense also notched 29 assists, with starting point guard Trent Perry leading the way with a season-high 11, proving his worth as the team's leading point guard.

Bench: A

UCLA's bench was also exceptional, as 11 different players had a hand in the final score. Thanks to the lead UCLA captured early, we were able to see a good sample of UCLA's bench, and this team looks deep enough to make a true run in March.

Rebounding: A

Overall, rebounding could have been better, which is why it doesn't quite reach the heights of the previous grades. However, the reality is that the Bruins were still dominant.

Nov 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and forward Nikola Kusturica (17) react after a 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

10 different players grabbed a rebound on the night as the Bruins were able to win the rebounding battle 38-22. Considering the strength of the victory, I almost would have expected it to be a larger margin of victory on the glass.

Ball Security: C

The worst grade of the night goes to UCLA's ball security, and this poor grade only really applies to the first half. At halftime, UCLA had committed 11 turnovers, but were fortunately able to clean it up following the break, as they only committed two over the second 20 minutes of the game.

It was a big-time win from start to finish for the Bruins, as they continue to prove they are one of the best and deepest teams in the Big Ten and are truly capable of making a significant run in March.

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