Dec 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Skyy Clark (55) is defended by Cal Poly Mustangs guard Peter Bandelj (9) as he goes for a basket during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

How UCLA's Graded After Cal Poly Win

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Andrew L. Ferguson Jr | Last updated Dec 21, 2025 11:00 AM ET

After a really rough first half from the Bruins as a team, they were really able to get things going in the second half, where they were able to win 108-87, scoring a season high.

The Bruins' core really lit up the stat sheet in this one, as they had three players with over 15 points. As of late, the Bruins have really found their groove offensively; however, they need to figure out things on defense. Xavier Booker will not be on this list, as he logged only three minutes.

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Something is not right with Eric Dailey Jr. After the 18-point, eight-rebound Oregon performance, he has not looked like the same player. In the last three games, he has scored only 20 points combined.

He earns a C because there is not really an argument for anything higher. While his rebounding was good, we still need to see more out of him offensively.

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A very good game from Donovan Dent here, a double-double was exactly what the Bruins needed to get back into this game after trailing in the first half. Defensively, Dent really stepped up with five steals.

He earns an A+ after an excellent all-around performance. While a few more rebounds would have been ideal, the Bruins need Dent to prioritize his facilitating and scoring—two areas he excelled in throughout this game.

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Wow, what a performance from Skyy Clark . In Mick Cronin's last press conference, he stressed how important it was to get Skyy Clark the ball. The Bruins did just that, and Clark delivered in a way.

One of the best performances of the year for the Bruins overall, and that is why an "A++" is necessary here. While it would have been nice to see more rebounding from Clark, he has proven that he can make a bigger impact scoring.

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This was an outstanding effort by Tyler Bilodeau. Honestly, there is an argument that he played a better game than Skyy Clark, as both players really shone in their respective roles.

The only thing keeping Bilodeau from an A++ was the three turnovers. Without them, this would have easily been an elite performance. However, the first half reinforced that UCLA still has turnover issues to clean up, and Bilodeau’s night was a reminder of that.

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There is still plenty that the Bruins have to work on moving forward. They cannot rely on these heroic performances moving forward, especially against better teams.

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

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