Michigan
UCLA
Wolverines to Host UCLA During Star Wars Day at Crisler Center
12/7/2017 2:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» UCLA was scheduled to play Montana in a midweek game before flying out to Ann Arbor, however, it was canceled due to wildfires in Southern California.
» With pregame opportunities, U-M will celebrate Star Wars Day at Crisler Center. Fans are encouraged to come early to get photos with their favorite character from the iconic sci-fi franchise.
» Moritz Wagner continues to lead U-M in scoring (15.4) and rebounding (8.5). He is the only Wolverine to score in double figures in every game this season.
THIS WEEK
Monday, Dec. 4 -- at Ohio State, L, 71-62 - Recap
Saturday, Dec. 9 -- UCLA, Noon (CBS) -- Star Wars Day
• TV: CBS | Live Stats | Live AudioÂ
• Satellite Radio: Sirius: 83 | XM: 83 | Internet: 83
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
• Promos: 2017-18 Season
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
• Watch: Beilein Roundtable
After a pair of early Big Ten matchups, the University of Michigan men's basketball team (7-3) returns to its non-conference slate hosting UCLA (7-1) on Saturday (Dec. 9) at Crisler Center. Tip is scheduled for noon with a national broadcast on CBS. The game will also be Star Wars Day.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE BRUINS
• UCLA is 7-1 on the year, with its only loss coming against Creighton in the Hall of Fame Classic. Saturday's contest will be UCLA's first true road game of the season. The Bruins defeated Detroit, 106-73, in their last game (Dec. 3) and had their contest against Montana on Wednesday (Dec. 6) canceled due to wildfires in Southern California.
• Aaron Holiday leads the Bruins in scoring (16.5 ppg) and assists (5.5), while Thomas Welsh has recorded five double-doubles in eight games, averaging 12.5 points and 10.9 rebounds. Kris Wilkes is the second leading scorer (13.1 ppg) and rebounder (6.4 rpg).
• The Bruins lead the Pac-12 -- and rank 17th nationally -- in rebounding, pulling down 42.6 boards per game. Thomas Welsh's 10.9 rebounds per game ranks 13th in the country.
• UCLA lost four starters from last year's team that was 31-5, including a Pac-12 regular-season championship and run to the Sweet 16. The Bruins had two players -- Lonzo Ball (L.A. Lakers) and T.J. Leaf (Indiana Pacers) -- selected in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.
• Head coach Steve Alford is in his fifth season with the Bruins, compiling an overall record of 103-46 and three Sweet 16 appearances. Alford is no stranger to the Big Ten having played at Indiana (1987-91) and coached at Iowa for eight seasons (1999-2007).
• Alford, along with U-M head coach John Beilein, is one of the 12 head coaches to lead four different Division I programs to the NCAA Tournament, having taken Missouri State, Iowa, New Mexico and UCLA to the Big Dance. Alford is one of just five coaches (Jim Harrick, Lon Kruger, Tubby Smith and Eddie Sutton) to win a tournament game with all four schools.
• Michigan trails in the all-time series against UCLA, 11-5. There have been nine on-campus meetings with the Bruins holding a 7-2 advantage. The teams previously have met three times in Ann Arbor, with U-M winning the 2003 meeting (70-66) and UCLA claiming victories in 2005 (68-61) and 2007 (69-54).
THE CHALLENGE COMING TO AN END
• Following the game with the Bruins, the Wolverines open the following week heading to Austin, Texas, for a matchup with Texas on Tuesday (Dec. 12) at 9 p.m. (ESPN2).
• U-M's six-game test closes when U-M faces Detroit Mercy in the first college basketball game in the new Little Caesars Arena -- home of the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons -- in downtown Detroit on Saturday, Dec. 16, at noon (ESPNU).
• The game is part of a tripleheader as Michigan State plays Oakland at LCA at 2:30 p.m., then the Detroit Lions host the Chicago Bears at 4 p.m. at Ford Field.
THIS AND THAT
• Michigan has three players averaging double-figures with Moritz Wagner leading at 15.4 points per game, while Charles Matthews is just behind at 14.1. Duncan Robinson is the third, averaging 10.3 points per game. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman dropped just below double digits at 9.8 points per game. All four account for 66 percent of U-M's offensive output.
• Wagner is the only Wolverine to score in double figures in every game this season. He has three 20-plus-point games including a season-high 24 vs. LSU -- just two away from his career best of 26 (Louisville, 2017 NCAA). In his two prior seasons he totaled five 20-plus point games.
• In addition to his scoring, Wagner leads U-M with 8.5 rebounds per game. He has doubled his production after his previous season best of 4.2 per game last season. He has posted three of his five career 10-plus-rebound games this season, including a career-high 12 against North Florida.
• Michigan's shot distribution has been pretty even through 10 games, as Wagner leads with 109 (10.9) shots, while Matthews is second at 105 (10.5). Robinson has put up 91 and Abdur-Rahkman has 89.
• Quietly, Abdur-Rahkman has recorded 36 assists (3.6 per game) with just four turnovers -- a 9.0 assist-to-turnover ratio -- making him the second-ranked player in the nation. He is tied for the team lead along with Matthews (36). Overall. U-M's 1.75 assist-to-turnover ratio is fifth in the nation.
• Eli Brooks (15.2 mpg) has been adjusting to his new role as the starting point guard. Zavier Simpson, who started the first four games, now comes off the bench as U-M's sixth man. Brooks has helped balance the Wolverines' offensive flow, while when Simpson (17.1 mpg) comes into the game he injects defense.
• Jordan Poole has continued to earn more and more playing time as the season continues. After a pair of double-figure scoring games last week -- 10 vs. Chaminade and 11 against UC Riverside -- Poole exploded for a career-best 19 against Indiana, draining a team-best five three-pointers.
• Isaiah Livers has also increased his time on the floor as he has rotated with Duncan Robinson at the four spot. He has played double-figure minutes in five of his last six games.
• Duncan Robinson, who leads the team with 23 three-pointers this season, moved into 10th on U-M's all-time top 10 for three-point field goals (182). He needs seven for ninth place which is occupied by LaVell Blanchard (2000-03, 189).
ICYMI ...
• Michigan is third nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.75)
• Michigan is fourth nationally for personal fouls per game (13.6)
• Michigan is fifth nationally for turnovers per game (9.2)
• Michigan is 38th nationally for scoring defense (63.3)
• Moritz Wagner is the only Wolverine to score in double figures in every game this season.
• Wagner has grabbed nine-plus boards in four of his last five games
• Wagner has yet to record a game with five-or-fewer rebounds.
• Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman is a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line.
• Abdur-Rahkman has recorded at least three-plus assists in the last nine games.
• Abdur-Rahkman ranks second nationally with a 9.0 assist-to-turnover ratio
• Duncan Robinson has made a three-pointer in every game this season.
• Jordan Poole has made 18 field goals this season, 11 of which have come from long range.
