REPORT: Bruins are Top Team in One Crucial Stat Category

The UCLA Bruins are one of the nation's top defensive teams and a crucial stat proves that they are a team built for March. One college basketball analytics expert broke down the Bruins' exceptional ability to keep opponents ice cold.

Feb 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Dawson Garcia (3) is defended by UCLA Bruins guard Kobe Johnson (0), guard Dylan Andrews (2) and Sebastian Mack (12) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (19-8, 10-6) may be coming off a setback loss to Minnesota earlier this week, but there is still strong hope for this team's ability to perform in the postseason. One key stat proves that the Bruins are a team that can go on a potential run in March.

To be a successful team in the conference tournament as well as the NCAA Tournament, defense is paramount. Forcing teams on scoring droughts that keep them off the scoreboard for minutes on end can singlehandedly win games for teams in the tournament. UCLA possesses that power.

According to college basketball analytics expert Evan Miyakawa, the Bruins are ranked fourth in terms of the most scoring droughts forced of four minutes or longer. They have forced 19 of those four-minute skids, with their longest defensive stand being just over eight minutes long (482 sec).

Here are the teams in the top 50 at https://t.co/cegyfz8ykZ who have forced the most scoring droughts of 4 minutes or longer: pic.twitter.com/82Ad8fGmcv

— Evan Miyakawa (@EvanMiya) February 20, 2025

Essentially, the Bruins do a phenomenal job of keeping teams off the scoreboard for an extended period of time which can allow them to mount a comeback or extend a lead depending on the circumstance.

UCLA is the No. 1 defense in the Big Ten and ranked 23rd in the country, allowing just 64.7 points per game. It also forces 15.85 turnovers per game, which is tied for 10th in the nation, another leading cause of its stunning defensive success.

The only issue is that UCLA is not the greatest scoring team, which can limit the ground gained from forcing such impressive droughts. It averages just 75 points as an offense, ranking 154th across Division I. The Bruins must take advantage of the defensive success that they continue to create.

The only other three teams that rank higher in Miyakawa's data set are No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 5 Houston and unranked Saint Mary's. The two ranked teams are top favorites to win the national tournament, which bodes well for the Bruins as they approach the conclusion of the regular season.

Even when the offense tends to struggle, the Bruins have found a way to win games without the ball in their hands. They have held several Top-25 opponents to some of their lowest totals of the season, including multiple scoring droughts to take over games. We will see if the trend continues in March.

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