Grading Bruins’ Performances Against Presbyterian

UCLA had its best outing of the season thanks to these performances?

Oct 9, 2025; Rosemont, IL, USA; UCLA head coach Mick Cronin speaks during Big Ten Men’s Basketball Media Days at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images | Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

UCLA came out on Friday and rolled past Presbyterian 86-46. There were a few notable performances that gave the Bruins the upper hand in this one.

This game was easily the Bruins’ best showing of the season. Granted, Presbyterian is not a strong team by any measure, but the point still stands — UCLA played a complete game and didn’t mess around.

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) leaves the court after defeated by the Arizona Wildcats 69-65 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Here are three players who made a significant impact, backed up by their individual performance grades.

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Skyy Clark (55) dribbles the ball against Pepperdine Waves guard Aaron Clark (3) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Easily one of the most shocking performances from this game was Skyy Clark. He gets an A grade because of how effective he was at shooting. Clark was also impressive on the defensive side with two steals.

This season, Clark is averaging 11.5 points and 2.3 rebounds. and 1.7 assists. As the season progresses, we should see these averages increase. This won't be the last time he has an outing like this.

Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Skyy Clark (55) goes to the basket against Eastern Washington Eagles forward Kiree Huie (15) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Clark could see more opportunities to score down the stretch. He has quickly emerged as a No.3 option behind Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau.

Nov 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) is defended by Sacramento State Hornets guard Jahni Summers (4) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Donovan Dent did just enough in this one, but the Bruins are still waiting to see the version of Dent who shined in the season opener. As highly regarded as he is, a 14-point outing against a team like Presbyterian isn’t the kind of performance that will turn many heads.

This season, Dent is averaging 12.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. His playmaking ability has really allowed him to thrive in this Bruins system; he still has some scoring issues to figure out.

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) looks on during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Arizona Wildcats at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Dent is unquestionably UCLA’s most important transfer this season and a major reason the Bruins entered the year with such high expectations. However, his play still has a way to go before it fully matches the preseason hype.

Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) shoots the ball against Utah State Aggies guard Mason Falslev (12) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Eric Dailey Jr. earns a solid B for this one. Nothing stood out as particularly good or bad, but he made the most of his 18 minutes — a season low. If Dailey Jr. begins to see more volume moving forward, there’s a strong chance he can play up to his preseason expectations.

This season Dailey Jr has averaged 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, two assists, while shooting a very good 58.3% from the field.

Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) drives to the basket against Utah State Aggies guard Dexter Akanno (7) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Like Dent, preseason hype surrounding the duo was at an all-time high. Dent's playmaking with Dailey Jr's scoring ability was something many fans were hoping to see by now. Once they get on the same page, UCLA will be scary.

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin walks to the court prior to the game against the Pepperdine Waves at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Next up for the Bruins is California in the Empire Classic. If UCLA hopes to extend its win streak to three, its top players will need to elevate their play.

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