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UCLA forward Cody Riley, right, grabs a rebound next to teammates Chris Smith and San Diego forward Yauhen Massalski during the first half of Wednesday night’s game at Pauley Pavilion. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego guard Marion Humphrey, right, goes up for a shot against UCLA guard Johnny Juzang during the first half of Wednesday night’s game at Pauley Pavilion. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego guard Marion Humphrey, right, shoots next to UCLA guard Johnny Juzang during the first half of Wednesday night’s game at Pauley Pavilion. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA forward Jalen Hill, center, grabs a rebound during the first half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against San Diego on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA forward Cody Riley, right, and San Diego guard Finn Sullivan, left, run after a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego guard Marion Humphrey, right, brings the ball up as UCLA guard David Singleton defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (10) defends against San Diego guard Joey Calcaterra (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego forward Josh Parrish (4) goes up for a shot between UCLA guards Jaime Jaquez Jr. (4) and Johnny Juzang (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA coach Mick Cronin adjusts his mask on the sideline during the first half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard David Singleton, left, defends against San Diego guard Chris Herren Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Johnny Juzang enters the court during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (10) takes a shot past San Diego forward Yauhen Massalski (25) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego guard Chris Herren Jr., left, is defended by UCLA guard David Singleton (34) and forward Jalen Hill (24) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA forward Jalen Hill, right, shoots over San Diego forward Yavuz Gultekin during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego forward Yavuz Gultekin (11) goes up for a shot against UCLA forward Jalen Hill (24) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Tyger Campbell shoots during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego plays UCLA during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in an empty arena Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Jaylen Clark dunks during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game agianst San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego coach Sam Scholl yells from the sideline during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against UCLA on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (10) shoots during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Tyger Campbell, left, takes the ball down the court during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Johnny Juzang is fouled by San Diego guard Chris Herren Jr. during the second half of Wednesday night’s game at Pauley Pavilion. The Kentucky transfer scored 10 points in 19 minutes in his debut with the Bruins, an 83-56 victory. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Johnny Juzang shoots during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against San Diego on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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UCLA guard Tyger Campbell, right, takes the ball past San Diego guard Marion Humphrey (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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San Diego guard Joey Calcaterra gets past UCLA guard Jake Kyman before taking a shot during the first half of Wednesday night’s game at Pauley Pavilion. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The recipe has been the same for UCLA the last two games.
There’s a feel-out process that lasts about 10 minutes before the Bruins make their move, create double-digit separation then balloon the lead on their way to a lopsided victory.
It was more of the same Wednesday night, but there was an added ingredient, as Kentucky transfer Johnny Juzang made his UCLA debut in the Bruins’ 83-56 victory over San Diego at Pauley Pavilion.
Juzang’s impact was seamless. He scored 10 points with one 3-pointer and grabbed three rebounds in 19 minutes. The former Harvard-Westlake star from Tarzana missed the team’s first four games with foot issues.
“It’s been a long time, a lot of training, a lot of pickup games, nothing real,” Juzang said after playing in his first college game in nine months. “To get out there and when the (first) shot went in, it was like ‘Ahh.’ It felt great, man. I’ve been waiting to play a game in this jersey for a while now. I felt great out there tonight, my conditioning, my body in general, my foot as well – everything felt really good.”
UCLA (4-1) had five players score in double figures. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the way with 17 points, four rebounds and four blocked shots. Tyger Campbell had 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and no turnovers, Chris Smith added 12 points and eight rebounds, and Cody Riley had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin attributed Juzang’s presence to be more than what appeared in the box score.
“Johnny is such a weapon to score, he gives space to guys like Jaime and Chris Smith to drive to the basket,” Cronin said. “You always have to be guarding him.”
The Bruins have won their last three games by 26 (against Seattle), 20 (Cal) and 27, respectively. Each game was essentially put away by a gut-punch run in the first half. Wednesday’s was a 13-0 run that lasted roughly four minutes. San Diego (0-1), which was playing its season opener because of a 14-day quarantine following a positive COVID-19 test in the program, had the score tied 15-15 at the 9:36 mark. Then it was 28-15 in what seemed like the blink of an eye.
Hill and Smith combined for five consecutive trips to the free-throw line before back-to-back jump shots from Jake Kyman helped give UCLA the 13-point advantage. Defensively, the Bruins were disruptive, forcing the Toreros to miss nine straight shots. San Diego shot 26% from the floor in the half, and the Bruins led 33-23 at halftime.
“It’s our mentality to keep our foot on the gas the entire game, every night,” Jaquez Jr. said. “With that being said, we get results like tonight.”
The Bruins had 10 players score Wednesday night and nine logged 17 minutes or more. That depth is a weapon Cronin believes will make UCLA very good.
“Our bench is a big part of it. We have multiple guys that can start,” Cronin said. “Trying to wear teams down with fresh bodies is going to be a big factor for us going forward. Whoever we put in the game, we have to be able to count on them to be solid on the defensive end and make good decisions on the offensive end. It will allow us to play at a pace that wears teams down.”
A Juzang jump shot at the 10:28 mark in the second half made it 52-36, a 14-point advantage. The game never got closer than that the rest of the night as the Bruins scored 50 points after the intermission.The one bright spot for USD was Joey Calaterra’s 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Frankie Hughes pitched in 10 points and Yauhen Massalski tied his career-high with 14 rebounds for the Toreros, who have nine newcomers and just two returning starters. Their roster includes five transfers.
“You just can’t give up 16 offensive rebounds and expect to win,” USD coach Sam Scholl said.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR UCLA?
The Bruins will take on Marquette (4-1) on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion in what will be the team’s biggest test since the season opener against San Diego State.
Marquette’s only loss this season was to Oklahoma State (70-62) and the Golden Eagles are coming off an impressive 67-65 victory over then-No. 4 Wisconsin on Dec. 4.
UCLA will make up its postponed game against Long Beach State on Tuesday (Dec. 15) at 6 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion before its out-of-state trip to Cleveland to take on Kentucky (1-3) on Dec. 19 in the CBS Sports Classic.
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