UCLA's Next Opponent, Washington, is Better Than Record Suggests

UCLA is on the brink of getting back to where it had been entering the new year.

After a four-game losing streak that put them in a significant hole, the Bruins have put together two statement victories -- a 20-plus-point blowout over Iowa and an upset win over No. 18 Wisconsin.

UCLA has a great opportunity on Friday to keep this promising run going when it takes on Washington in what will be the second meeting between the former Pac-12 rivals. The Bruins defeated the Huskies to earn their first-ever conference victory as members of the Big Ten last month.

Washington is in last place in the Big Ten with a 1-7 conference record. That record, however, can be deceiving, considering the trouble the Huskies have given some of the better teams in the conference.

"I guess this is their seventh straight game against a team in the KenPom Top 35 or something like that," said UCLA coach Mick Cronin when he addressed the media on Thursday. "That tells you about our league. Davis went for, I guess, a couple weeks, their best shooter, where he had an ankle injury. Played a little against Oregon, I would assume he'll be back to full strength for us. Big Frank might play. So they could be back to full strength. Albeit without victory, they beat Maryland there, tie game with Illinois with 40 seconds left.

"So Coach [Danny] Sprinkle, regardless of what's been going on on the scoreboard at the end of their games, their defense and their spirit is impressive. And that's not an easy thing when you're not getting the result you want on the scoreboard. But they've gotten much better again. Again, none of them were on their team last year. So, defensively, they're much better. I think [Great] Osobor made the adjustment. He's playing better. That's a big piece of it. And Wilhelm Breidenbach is making shots. For them, they need somebody to make some shots.

"But I just, I think, what stands out to me is how hard they've been playing. They led the first 30-plus minutes against Oregon, at Oregon, the night we played. They led that game on the road for a long, long time. So they just -- they don't give in. They play unbelievably hard. They're athletic, they got some size. And we all know Osobor's a heck of a player. If they make some shots, they're dangerous. They're really well-coached."

Friday's contest is set for 8 p.m. EST, 11 p.m. PST.

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