In Reply to: Tough opponent tonight---highlight video of Arizona posted by traprh on November 14, 2025 at 12:58:49
The Bruins haven’t looked great recently, as reflected by their drop in the KenPom rankings to 32. Arizona, on the other hand, has blown out inferior opponents and boasts a strong win over Florida.
That said, my biggest concern since last year has been teams with strong frontlines. Arizona’s top frontcourt player is freshman Koa Peat. While he’s an athletic specimen, he doesn’t have the same strength as TKR from Purdue. Beyond Peat, their frontcourt isn’t particularly intimidating. Aristode at small forward is a load, and I do worry he could give us trouble. Most pundits would argue that Arizona’s strengths are their guards, Bradley and Burries. I believe UCLA’s guards are superior, so strictly on matchups, the Bruins have the edge.
Yet we know basketball rarely follows strict matchups. Arizona has played better than UCLA so far. Can the Bruins put it together? Can Tyler at least match what Peat brings? Will Booker and Jamerson hold their own down low? Can Dailey and Brown contend with Aristode? They should, in theory, but the proof will be on the court.
If it weren’t for UCLA’s lackluster performances against relatively light opponents recently, I would be predicting a victory. For now, I’ll stay cautious and see how it plays out.