UCLA cruised by California Baptist in their first exhibition match of the season, winning 100-53. It was a fantastic showing from the Bruins in all facets, and there is a ton to unpack from this performance.
This team was clicking on all cylinders for the majority of the contest. It's clear there's a priority on the defensive side of the ball, as UCLA looked phenomenal at both the rim and on the perimeter. The Bruins flew around all night and made life hard on the Lancers.
Mar 14, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) drives to the basket against Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On the offensive side of the ball, the Bruins looked even better than expected. They looked very efficient on offense, and flew around the rim with multiple alley-oops and high-flying plays to get the juices flowing. The Bruins will be a lot of fun to watch moving forward, and though it's an exhibition, they certainly showed they have the potential to make major waves in the Big Ten.
One thing was abundantly clear against Cal Baptist. Eric Dailey Jr. will be an ultra-important piece on offense, as he shot lights out all night, especially from three-point range. He led the way for UCLA on offense, scoring 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting with 7 made threes. Dailey has the versatility to play as a forward and move and shoot like a guard, giving the Bruins a true all-around tool on offense.
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) shoots a free throw in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If he can continue the production he had from outside the arc, this team could be even more dangerous than we initially thought.
The Bruins certainly have something special on their hands. Freshman Nikola Kusturica is going to be a phenomenal player for this program, and the fact that he still has room to grow and become an even better player is a scary thought. We knew Kusturica would make an impact for this team defensively, but it was far more immediate than we thought possible. Kusturica had 5 steals, 2 blocks, and was a pest all night for the CBU offense.
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On offense, he was only 3-of-11 shooting, but still found a way to make an impact. For a player as skilled as he is, I'd love to see him more involved in the offense, but the Bruins proved they have a deep roster without needing a heavy offensive workload from Kusturica.
He's going to be a do-it-all player for UCLA this season , and he displayed that against Cal Baptist. Kusturica is as good as advertised, and NBA scouts will love what they see from the future first-rounder.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as Instant Takeaways From UCLA's Exhibition Win Over Cal Baptist .
