Three Keys to Bruins' Season Sweep of Crosstown Rival

The UCLA Bruins (21-9, 12-7) gear up for their second rivalry matchup of the season this Saturday night, facing crosstown foes, the USC Trojans (14-15-, 6-12). The Bruins got the best of their rival in the first matchup and must follow their blueprint from the original meeting to earn a season sweep.

Here are the three keys that benefitted the Bruins in their first rivalry matchup and will be pivotal areas on Saturday night at Pauley Pavilion.

Free Throws - Early and Often

In the Bruins' first meeting with their rival, they attempted an impressive 25 free throws, making 20 of them for 80%. That is well over their season average of 70.6%, but the more they shoot, the more will go in. It will be imperative that UCLA gets to the charity stripe, specifically their talented guards.

There have been recent woes at the line for the Bruins, specifically in late-game scenarios. Only winning the first meeting by six points, free throws down the stretch were crucial for the victory. They will have to do the same, as it will no doubt be a competitive contest for all 40 minutes.

Win the Turnover & Rebound Battles

Two key areas that have directly led to several Bruins wins this season have been their rebounding ability and sensational defense.

They were +4 in the rebound margin earlier this year against a USC team that ranks dead last in the Big Ten at just 31.2 boards per contest. The Bruins are also the seventh-ranked offensive rebounding team in the conference, gathering just over 10 per game.

UCLA has thrived all year on second-chance points as well as points off of turnovers. They force a conference-most 15.1 turnovers per game, seeking to plague the Trojans once again after earning 10 points off 10 turnovers in their first meeting.

3-Plus Scorers in Double Figures

Despite not having an extremely explosive offense with several players averaging double figures, the Bruins seemingly find ways to win when at least three different players score 10 or more points. They had four double-digit scorers against the Trojans in late January, hoping to do the same on Saturday.

UCLA will rely on guys like sophomore forward Eric Dailey Jr. and junior forward Tyler Bilodeau to lead the charge while other role players such as junior guard Skyy Clark and sophomore center Aday Mara chip in with key performances. Dailey previously led the Bruins with 16 points against the Trojans.

There is a great deal on the line in this rivalry matchup. The Bruins are looking for the season series sweep, win on senior night, and take three of the last four crosstown meetings. They are also seeking to improve their status in the Big Ten standings and overall seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday. The broadcast will be presented by FOX.

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