UCLA is on a much different trajectory when it hosts Utah on Sunday in Pac-12 play in Los Angeles compared to the teams’ last meeting, which resulted in the Bruins’ worst loss in 27 years.
The Utes (15-10, 6-8 Pac-12) destroyed UCLA on Jan. 11, 90-44, with a 57-21 second half. The loss sent the Bruins to their eighth loss in nine games.
UCLA (14-11, 9-5) flipped its course immediately and ever since, winning eight of nine and the last six straight after a 64-60 defeat of Colorado on Thursday.
“We don’t ever talk about it,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said of the Utah game after the Bruins’ win over Colorado. “It’s one game, just move on and get better. … Slowly, incrementally, getting our confidence; we needed that win against Washington (on Jan. 14 to begin the current stretch).”
Central to UCLA’s turnaround has been Dylan Andrews. Andrews has emerged as a reliable scoring option alongside season-long leading scorer Sebastian Mack in the Bruins backcourt.
Andrews’ 13 points on Thursday gives him double-figures scoring in every game of UCLA’s on-going winning streak. With his 19 points against Colorado, Mack improved his output to 13.5 points per game.