Feb 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Dylan Andrews (2) controls the ball away from Penn State Nittany Lions guard Ace Baldwin Jr. (1) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Bruins' Andrews' Success Has Come a Long Way

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Feb 10, 2025 9:36 AM ET

Despite a slow start, UCLA junior guard Dylan Andrews has been highly productive and a big reason for their current seven-game win streak and current third position in the Big Ten Standings. His gradual success this season cannot go unnoticed as a leader for this team.

Midway through the season, Andrews posted a season-high 21 points against Prairie View A&M and quickly fell silent after that performance. He hit a major rough patch, scoring just 12 points over a six-game span, including two scoreless games.

Since that point, he has played nothing but winning basketball, averaging 9.6 points and a team-high four assists across the team's seven-game win streak. Andrews is shooting just over 44% from the field in that same time frame along with an impressive 12-29 from 3-point range (41%).

As one of the longest-tenured players on the roster, Andrews has earned the trust and confidence from Coach Mick Cronin throughout the years. He is averaging 24 minutes per game and over half the game in each game of their latest hot streak.

"Look, I think he's [Andrews] playing better," Cronin said following their win over USC two weeks ago. "I mean, Dylan, he's playing well. Got to give him credit. Obviously, he had a rough start to the season. I think his experience is coming through right now. Maybe I'm coaching him better, but I give him all the credit, though. He's playing better."

The reason Cronin trusts his veteran so much is based on his basketball IQ and failure to turn the ball over. This winning streak has produced just seven turnovers from Andrews in his 187 total minutes of action. There is not another Bruin that handles the rock as much as he does and turns it over less.

It was easy to look at Andrews as an underachieving piece in the middle of this season, but his tenacity and confidence have led him to reap the benefits and find success. Few players have the ability to improve as Andrews has in the same season, showing his adaptability and growth.

UCLA will hit the road to battle the No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini (16-8, 8-6) on Tuesday night. Andrews will be expected to control the offense while making the best decisions to pass and shoot in an attempt to defeat their sixth ranked opponent of the season.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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