It’s the opening day of the college football season. So, I’m going to try to quickly update you on this morning’s UCLA sports news in order to get you on your way to watching some football! The UCLA Women’s Volleyball team opened their season last night in Hawai’i. So, let’s start there.
UCLA Women’s Volleyball
UCLA defeated the University of San Diego in three sets last night. The Bruins jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and never trailed in the first set, eventually winning the set easily by a score of 25-16.
The second set wasn’t quite as easy as the Toreros jumped out to a 3-0 lead at the start. But UCLA took a 6-5 lead and never trailed after that.
The third set proved to be much tougher. USD won 9 of the first 14 points to take a 4-point lead 9-5. Over the next 9 points, they stretched their lead to 5 and it was 14-9. But the Bruins won 7 of the next 8 points to take a 16-15 lead. The Toreros tied the set at 16-16. UCLA started to pull away by winning 4 of the next 5 points, giving them a 20-17 edge, but USD battled back to tie the set at 22 all. That’s when Reily Buechler made sure the Bruins weren’t going to lose the set by killing 2 of the UCLA’s next three points and earning the win in the set and the match.
Buechler led the Bruins with 13 kills while sophomore Madeleine Gates and freshman Mac May added 9 and 8 kills, respectively. Senior transfer Sarah Sponcil led the team with 30 sets. Buechler and Savvy Simo led the team with 7 digs each while Sponcil, May and Zana Muno each had 6.
Tonight, the Bruins face Marquette at 7:45pm PT.
UCLA Football
Respected AP College Football writer Ralph Russo made a bold prediction a few days ago. He predicted that Chip Kelly will be hired to coach UCLA Football next season. Russo wrote:
The most-wanted coach on the market will end up at UCLA after another rough season by the Bruins convinces the administration to dip into all that new Under Armour money — this is the first of a 15-year deal worth $280 million — to part ways to Jim Mora. Former Oregon coach Chip Kelly will be biding his time at ESPN this season.
UCLA Men’s Basketball
Sports Illustrated’s Dan Greene believes that Kris Wilkes will have a big impact on this year’s UCLA Men’s Basketball team. Greene thinks Wilkes will start at the three. He writes:
Minus the combined 44.2 points per game averaged by the departed Bryce Alford, Lonzo Ball, and Isaac Hamilton, coach Steve Alford will be looking for new sources of scoring. Wilkes has shown himself to be an adept scorer in and around the paint as well as attacking the basket in transition. He should get the chance to showcase that early on, especially playing off Hands and returning point guard Aaron Holiday.
UCLA Men’s Basketball Recruiting
Speaking of UCLA Men’s Basketball, the Bruins appear to be a dark horse to land five-star 2018 PF Jordan Brown. Scout’s Josh Gershon says that UCLA is one of his top seven schools, but Brown is from Northern California which makes UC Berkeley the immediate favorite to land him. We’ll have to wait and see what David Grace and Steve Alford can do to try to bring Brown to Westwood.
And, that’s What’s Bruin this Saturday morning. Now, go watch some football!
Go Bruins!!!