The USC Trojans play host to the UCLA Bruins on Thursday night in a crucial PAC 12 showdown between crosstown rivals from the Galen Center. UCLA comes into this one fresh off a loss that snapped one of the country's lengthiest winning streaks, though stay intact atop the PAC 12 standings. For USC, a crucial win against Arizona State has helped propel them back near the top of the conference standings. In the first meeting between the two this season, the Bruins escaped with a two-point win at home, so there's no doubt that the Trojans will be looking for revenge in the rematch.
The Bruins took a 14-game winning streak on the road to Arizona on the weekend but even after a late run, they still found themselves heading back home with a loss. Even with the loss to the Wildcats, UCLA still sits in first place in the PAC 12 standings, remaining two losses ahead of a host of teams tied for second place. UCLA will need to be sharper than they were in the first meeting between the two teams, as a two-point win at home is still a win, but likely not enough as they shift to being the road team. Saturday marked their first road loss of the season, as they brought an undefeated road record into that one. The concern is if they'll make it two road losses in a row as they open up this weekend. The margin remains thin near the top of the NET if the Bruins want to be a one-seed, so grabbing a sweep of their rivals is a must.
The Bruins have two injuries as they head into this rivalry. Evan Manjikian (ar m) has been out since December, though his limited role prior to his injury shouldn't concern UCLA fans. The status of Amari Bailey (foot) is something that fans will want to keep aware of. He missed the last game and is questionable for this one, and would be a big blow to UCLA's backcourt depth.
No. 5 UCLA reduced a 13-point second-half deficit to four points in the final minute at No. 11 Arizona on Saturday, before losing to the Wildcats by a 58-52 margin.
RECAP: https://t.co/Vscm8aXxBN pic.twitter.com/wNMKmgidsb
— UCLA Men's Basketball (@UCLAMBB) January 22, 2023
UCLA has quite a few pieces from the last few years of success, though the defensive side of things has been the point of turning heads. The Bruins rank 12th nationally in scoring defense and their three-point defense expects to make a huge difference in this one. The Trojans are one of the worst shooting teams in the country but with UCLA leading the way in the PAC 12 when it comes to three-point percentage defense, that could make a huge difference. The first meeting saw the Bruins only get five points from the bench and despite three starters scoring in double-figures, it almost came back to haunt them. Expect a better effort from the reserves in this one, or else it could spell a loss in the remtch.