WATCH: Jaime Jaquez Jr. on UCLA-Arizona State, Deflections Bone

UCLA men's basketball guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. spoke with reporters ahead of Tuesday morning's practice session at the Mo Ostin Basketball Center. Jaquez talked about what it takes to come away with road wins, his advice for the freshmen heading into the hostile environments at Arizona and Arizona State, competing with Jaylen Clark and Adem Bona and the deflections bone.

What's the key to coming out with two key road wins against good teams this weekend?

Um, just remembering who we are, not getting too ahead of ourselves, focusing on one game at a time. First, we've got Arizona State, so that's our main focus. Listening to the scouting report and just play as hard as we can and have fun.

What is the scouring report on them right now?

Um, we know that they're fast and we know that they like to get up and down. They're very unpredictable, their defense is really all over the place, so we're just gonna have to be ready and take care of the ball.

You seem to have rediscovered your 3-point stroke in recent games – how important is that going against a team that has such good rim protection like ASU?

It's gonna be extremely important. When teams over-help, it's very important that we hit the skip man on the opposite side, and usually they're wide open, so it's very important for us to be able to hit those shots and knock them down.

What do you tell the freshmen to prepare them for these hostile road environments?

That this is what you come to college for, to play games like these. It's gonna be fun and we're very excited.

What's your favorite part of playing with Adem?

Hm, I think his energy. His energy overall, once he's on the court, his presence is felt, and that's on our side of the ball, the opponent, they feel his presence on the court. And he brings such great energy to our team, such a positive light and what you have a guy like that, he just makes everybody around him better.

Have you ever seen a big man with a motor like he has?

Uh, no. This guy is incredible, man. He runs, he blocks shots, runs down to the other end of the floor and dunks it on people. I mean, what more can you ask for from a big? I don't think you can.

Already competing with J Rock for steals total, going to compete with Adem for blocks total? You're at 16, only nine away.

Oh, man, I gotta get – nine away is still a long way to go, but yeah I would love to compete with both of them, they're both great defenders.

Do you have season deflection totals anywhere?

Yeah, they're on a big old bone. We have a big old bone that we sign. It's been – we've had it for what, since I've been here. Coach, he has a bone, and whoever has the most deflections gets to sign it. And whoever has the most at the end of the year gets to take it home. I took it home my first two years, I think J Rock had it last year, and then this year, it's up for grabs.

What does it look like?

It's literally a big dog bone. Yeah.

Where did you put yours?

Well, I have one at my parents' house in Camarillo, and then I have my other one, they just recently gave it to me, it took a while to get it to me, but it's just in my room.

Very literal 'hungry dog gets the bone'?

Literally hungry dog gets the bone.

Where does he get the bone? Petco? Custom made?

I think they got it on Amazon, they just forwarded it. They had a smaller one at the beginning of the year, then they were like 'Guys, it's way too small.' And then Jim, our manager, he got us a huge one, it's the biggest one I've seen.

So you sign it after the game, whoever has the most?

Yeah. Yeah, you sign it after the game.

And then at the end of the year, you count up who has the most signatures?

Mhm, whoever has the most signatures gets to take it home.

Who's leading right now?

Uh, I think it's J Rock right now. I don't know how far I am behind, but I know I'm in second, so.

Where does the bone stay during the season? In the locker room?

Um, I think it just stays with Jim. He just has it, brings it in. I think it's just in a bag somewhere, I don't really know.

How important is it to have little internal things like that to use as motivation over the course of a long season?

Yeah, I think it's just you have to find excuses to want to play your hardest. And I think, you know, wanting to get the bone, wanting to sign the bone after a game is just another excuse of why you need to play hard and why you need to do this and why you need to do that. And you just try to find things to play for throughout the season and I think that's one of those things that adds to it.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @FN_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @FN.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA men's basketball stories: UCLA Men's Basketball on Sports Illustrated