UCLA’s Steven Jamerson Reacts to Season’s Best Game

The UCLA Bruins finally exercised some of their recent demons by pulling off a 67-55 win over the Maryland Terrapins. The win was much needed for everyone, but maybe none more than backup forward Steven Jamerson.

Cronin on Jamerson

Jamerson had his best game as a Bruin off the bench against Maryland, scoring 8 points, with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and one steal in 24 minutes. A fringe rotation player in head coach Mick Cronin’s system, Jameson finally showcased some of the potential the Bruins thought he had.

“Steve’s best game by far,” Cronin declared.

It’s been a struggle for the 6-foot-10 forward. Jamerson transferred to UCLA this past offseason after a strong season at San Diego that saw him average 10.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in 2024-25. So far, that success hasn’t translated to the Big Ten, as Jamerson is averaging just 2.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in limited action this season. However, his performance against Maryland may be just what he needed to get back to his usual self.

After his best game of the season, Jamerson spoke about his growth within UCLA’s system so far this season.

Jan 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins center Steven Jamerson II (24) blocks a shot by Maryland Terrapins guard Myles Rice (2) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

“I probably agree with coach, it was my best game being here,” Jamerson said. “I was a lot calmer, and a lot more sure of myself, and confident in my abilities. Just going out there, and coach having the faith in me to keep me in the game, it just kept me going, kept me rolling, and that was great.”

Perry on Jamerson

Guard Trent Perry also gave his props to Jamerson, citing his early season struggles, and how he has grown from them.

“Credit to Steven,” guard Trent Perry said. “He’s been going through some growing pains in my opinion. Coach has been on him because he sees what he can do, and we saw it tonight. I’m just glad that he was able to come up big for us against Maryland.”

Jamerson, and the rest of the Bruins will look to carry their newfound momentum into the remainder of conference play as they look to get back on the right track after an inconsistent start to the season. With the season kicking into high-gear, UCLA will look to shake off some of their struggles as they compete for a top seed in the Big Ten, and look to make it back to the NCAA Tournament.

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