Bruins to face former teammate and more

The No. 15 UCLA Bruins (11-2) head on the road this Saturday for another tough Big Ten battle when they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-2). Expected to be another tight and close game, the Bruins have plenty of experience handling games of that caliber.

In this episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, UCLA Bruins On SI writer Tom Cavanaugh breaks down a former Bruin-turned-Cornhusker they’ll face this weekend and also emphasizes how important the tough final games will be for the Bruins’ conference title hopes. .

You can watch the episode below:

UCLA will compete against former Bruin sophomore forward Berke Buyuktuncel, who spent last season under head coach Mick Cronin. He transferred to the Cornhuskers last offseason and has shown significant improvement in just one short season.

Like a Bruin, Büyuktuncel He averaged just 4.5 points in 16.3 minutes per game. He played a small role for a UCLA team that struggled mightily last year, finishing with a 16-17 record and missing the national tournament. This year, he had made great strides, averaging 7.9 points in 23.7 minutes per game.

“I think (Buyuktuncel) is doing well; I think he’s adjusted well,” Bruins senior guard Lazar Stefanovic said Thursday. “I’ve been in contact with him a little bit; we watched some of his games. I’m happy for him; he looks happy, it seems like he’s doing very well. So I can’t wait to see him and say hello to him in person. As you know, “We were roommates last year too, so we spent a lot of time together.”

Bruins junior guard Skyy Clark also spoke to the media Thursday and was asked about his experience in the Big Ten as a former Illinois Fighting Illini player two seasons ago. They talked about how their tough non-conference schedule has helped them prepare for conference play.

Clark played in just 13 games, averaging seven points per game for the Illini in 2022-23. With the Bruins on their way to take on the Cornhuskers this weekend, Clark is well aware of the type of atmosphere his team will be entering, especially as one of the top 15 teams in the country.

It may seem like just another game for UCLA, but at this point in the season, every conference game means the most to its Big Ten title chances, as well as its national tournament berth. Saturday will be a battle between two of the best teams in the conference.

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