In case you forgot about him with all the new faces on UCLA’s basketball team, Sebastian Mack made sure to remind everyone of his skills on Wednesday night.
Despite all the fresh talent on the roster, Mack stepped up and showed he’s still a key player for the Bruins. In their 84-70 win over Idaho State, Mack came off the bench and scored 21 points, mostly from 15 free throws. UCLA (4-1) has now won three games in a row after a tough loss to New Mexico earlier this month.
Meanwhile, UCLA’s starting forwards, Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey Jr., kept up their strong performances. Bilodeau had 20 points, hitting all four of his three-pointers, while Dailey added 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
They were efficient on offense, which made it harder for defenders to focus on Mack, giving him plenty of chances to drive to the basket. Idaho State kept fouling him, sending Mack to the free-throw line, where he nailed 15 out of 16 shots.
Mack’s presence was a win for UCLA in itself. Even though several teammates left after last season, Mack stuck around, trusting his coach’s advice. Coach Mick Cronin encouraged him to stay and improve his game. Mack has been working on becoming a more well-rounded player—getting better at defense, shooting, and scoring when his teammates need him.
In the first half, Mack also showed his unselfishness by assisting forward William Kyle III with a lob that led to a huge dunk, getting the crowd fired up.
Cronin has been using a smaller lineup early in the season but wants to play bigger players like the 6-foot-9 Kyle alongside Bilodeau and Dailey to prepare for tougher matchups in the future. However, the team still needs a reliable backup center, as Aday Mara struggled again on Wednesday.
The Bruins have been working on improving their competitiveness and defense since their loss to New Mexico, and Wednesday’s game showed some progress. They shot a season-high 57.4%, made 27 of 47 shots, and kept turnovers to a reasonable 11. But there’s still work to be done, especially with rebounding and boxing out, as they gave up 10 offensive rebounds.
On defense, they had a few lapses, especially late in the game. While Idaho State might not be a household name, they’ve had a memorable history with UCLA, famously ending the Bruins’ dynasty in 1977 with an upset in the NCAA tournament.
On Wednesday, Idaho State senior Isaiah Griffin started strong, scoring the team’s first 12 points, and the Bengals had a brief lead. But Bilodeau and Dailey hit back-to-back threes to spark a 10-0 run, and Mack continued to lead the charge.
