Why UCLA's Week Off Comes at Right Time

The season hits a bit of a pause for UCLA's men's basketball team this week as the Bruins will have a full seven days between games.

UCLA's next game comes on at No. 2 Michigan on Saturday, kicking off a three-game stretch against top-10 teams and Big Ten title contenders. With all the defensive issues and injuries the Bruins have dealt with this season, there may not have been a better time for the brief recess -- even as UCLA has won seven of its last nine games.

ucla basketball schedule — Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) is defended by Washington Huskies guard Zoom Diallo (5) 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

"We've got offensive talent, but we've got to have some guys that care about defense," head coach Mick Cronin said after a narrow win over Washington on Saturday. "The problem is our best defender has been out for over a month. Hopefully, he can string together a few practices, since we don't play for a week. I desperately need a few days off, and our team does as well."

Why the Break Matters

It's hard to blame Cronin for wanting a little rest, given the challenges his team has been through already, especially since the ones that lie on the other side of the break might be the most significant yet in terms of skill level and the amount of travel. The Bruins travel to Michigan to take on the No. 2 Wolverines and the No. 10 Michigan State Spartans in a three-day span, then return home to host No. 8 Illinois and archrival USC.

ucla basketball schedul — Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and forward Xavier Booker (1) celebrate after a 3-point basket by forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) in the final seconds of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

That will be the second time UCLA has had a trip to the eastern timezone with short rest and return home still on short rest. Cronin wasn't pleased with the logistics the first time, but it did end with a win over then-No. 4 Purdue. But for the Bruins to have a chance to make some noise as they fight through another gauntlet, they'll need all hands on deck.

UCLA's Missing Star

Getting this break in the schedule is the best chance for the Bruins to get as healthy as possible without taking drastic measures as they approach the homestretch, especially if they hope to see senior guard Skyy Clark, the "best defender" to whom Cronin alluded, return.

ucla schedul — Jan 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Skyy Clark (55) looks on from the court prior to the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Clark is the Bruins' all-around best player and has not appeared in a game since injuring his hamstring in a January 3 loss to Iowa, missing a total of 10 games. He's the only one who has missed significant time this season, but several others have missed a game here and there, and Cronin has made it abundantly clear that some of his players have been playing at less than 100 percent.

There was brief hope of his return before the trip to Ohio State in the middle of last month, as Cronin volunteered a positive update on his star. But after participating in some shootarounds and practices throughout the week, UCLA ruled him out, and none of the updates since then have been nearly as positive.

Cronin even revealed that Clark is going to apply for another year of eligibility, which seems like Clark's injury is more severe than we've been told, but it also sounds like they still expect to see him return at some point this season.

UCLA's overall health remains a bit of a mystery, especially when it comes to Clark, but the current break in the Big Ten comes at a perfect time, as it will allow the Bruins to find some answers before its most strenuous and notable Big Ten games.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI to keep up with every story surrounding UCLA athletics! Please let us know your thoughts on this when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Bruins when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW