Mar 1, 2025; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Utah State Aggies guard Ian Martinez (4) passes the ball under pressure from Colorado State Rams forward Rashaan Mbemba (21) in the second half at Moby Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Bruins' Defense Must Be Ready For Utah State’s Offense

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Mar 18, 2025 6:11 PM ET

The UCLA Bruins have their first-round opponent in March Madness: the Utah State Aggies from the Mountain West conference. The Bruins earned their spot in the 2025 bracket off of a strong first campaign in the Big Ten, and now, they'll have to prove it against the best of the best in college basketball.

While UCLA finished its season with a 22-10 record, the program can't afford to take its opponent lightly, especially when looking at how much of an offensive threat the Aggies hold. But if anything rings true about Mick Cronin's Bruins, the program will be fully prepared for their defensive game.

The Bruins held the best defense in the Big Ten conference, as they held their opponents to score an average of 65.7 points per game. UCLA came back down to earth when it needed its offense to pick up the slack.

Utah State, however, has one of the best offenses in the Mountain West conference. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Aggies ranked second in the conference, averaging 80.9 points per game. Down the stretch for the Bruins, they were only able to score more than 80 points twice, both coming against their in-state rivals, the USC Trojans.

One big offensive threat that UCLA must do its research on is senior guard Ian Martinez. On the season, Martinez led the way for the Aggies, averaging 16.8 points per game. Martinez also ranked second on the team in free-throw success, draining 87.6% of his shots.

Martinez has seen his production on the road decrease, however, compared to his every-game average for Utah State. On the road, Martinez is averaging 15.9 points and a 42.4 field-goal percentage, all while playing in an average of 31 minutes in 15 road contests.

After the way the Bruins were eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament, UCLA will likely be all business heading into the matchup against the strong offense. The program will need its leading defender in senior guard Kobe Johnson to be once again step up through his presence as a veteran and his elite defense.

Thursday's matchup is set for 9:25 p.m. EST/6:25 p.m. PST and will be televised on TNT.

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

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