UCLA flies into Illinois riding a seven-game winning streak that nearly restored the Bruins to the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in a month.
The Bruins (18-6, 9-4 Big Ten), the first team listed outside the Top 25 in Monday’s poll, face a few questions heading into their two-game Midwest trip that begins Tuesday against Illinois (16-8, 8-6) in Champaign, Ill.
Are the Bruins done with the norovirus that felled roughly half the squad between the upset of Michigan State on Feb. 4 and Saturday’s win over Penn State? And why have they posted a 1-4 record outside the Pacific Time Zone?
“We were sending guys home Thursday,” said UCLA head coach Mick Cronin, who felt so badly he skipped Friday’s session. “We were getting ready for practice and it was like, who drops next? We had to invoke COVID rules: Shooting at your own basket, sanitize the practice facility and everybody’s food and (get) out the door.”
Point guard Skyy Clark was among the Bruins hit hardest, yet he posted 14 points and three assists in 25 minutes in the 78-54 rout of Penn State. After scoring in double figures just twice in UCLA’s first 17 games, Clark has scored at least 12 in five of the Bruins’ last seven.
That’s a good way for the junior to return to Illinois, where he started his college career in 2022 and left after one semester.
“Skyy Clark’s a stud,” Cronin said. “Because I know I haven’t eaten since Wednesday night. I had a popsicle (Saturday) morning with an IV. I don’t know how the hell he did it. He was 6 for 7 in 24 minutes. Some guys are just built better than others.”
Illinois, too, hopes it’s done with the injuries and illnesses that have bothered the Fighting Illini during their 4-5 stretch over the last month. The Illini dropped from No. 23 to out of the poll this week.
Starting forward Tre White and sixth man Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn barely played Saturday at Minnesota due to illness, but center Tomislav Ivisic, who missed three recent games due to mononucleosis, battled through a high ankle sprain to help spark Illinois’ 95-74 win over the Gophers.
“If you could see his ankle, it looks like quite an enlarged Cabernet grape,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “It is black and blue and it is nasty.”
Ivisic (18 points, 11 rebounds) notched his ninth double-double while freshmen Will Riley and Kasparas Jakucionis combined for 51 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Jakucionis hit two of four 3-pointers to snap a slump where he missed 24 of 28 3-pointers in his previous six games.
“He and I had a long talk,” Underwood said. “I’ve never been around a more studious young man. I’ve never been around someone who cared so much. He’s a perfectionist. You’ve got to let go of a bad moment or bad game.”
