UCLA basketball prepares for more hostile road crowds in the Big Ten

When Tyler Bilodeau, Kobe Johnson and the other UCLA starters approach center court to tip off against Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday and the roar of a sellout crowd washes over them, one thing will be abundantly clear.

They’re no longer in Gill Coliseum, Maples Pavilion or any of the other sleepy Pac-12 arenas.

Noise will be a constant companion as UCLA executes its first Big Ten schedule. Nine conference teams average at least 10,000 fans at home games, with Indiana’s average leading the way at 16,514. Purdue is second with 14,876 fans per home game, closely followed by Nebraska (14,848), Michigan State (14,797) and Illinois (14,789).

“I don’t think I can name a single Big Ten stadium where the fans don’t come out to show up and support and they talk trash,” said UCLA junior guard Skyy Clark, a Veteran of that experience after spending his first season at Illinois. “It definitely gets loud and noisy, so it’s a great environment to play in.”

Well, maybe not always for the visitors.

Nebraska (11-2 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) has won 19 straight games on its home court during a streak that began in December 2023. With a win over the No. 15 Bruins (11-2, 2-0), the Cornhuskers would tie the school record of 20 consecutive home wins, which they had previously set twice.

UCLA coach Mick Cronin is aware of the challenge that awaits him after leading Cincinnati to Pinnacle Bank Arena in December 2014 when his Bearcats lost in double overtime. At the time, Cronin called the 15,147-seat facility “probably the best arena I’ve ever been to outside of Louisville.”

The atmosphere Saturday will certainly be louder than what the Bruins experienced in the Pac-12, where some libraries may have been louder than basketball arenas.

It often seemed as if the wrestling and basketball banners hanging from the rafters at Oregon State’s Gill Coliseum outnumbered the fans.

Washington State players once made it a habit to go to the stands to personally thank fans who showed up at Beasley Coliseum. This gesture of goodwill only lasted a few minutes.

UCLA guard Lazar Stefanovic tries to pass the ball during a relatively quiet game at Stanford on February 7.

(Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)

At Maples Pavilion, the UCLA blue often overshadowed the Stanford red.

“There are some schools – obviously we’re out of their league anymore – you’re playing and there’s 1,000 people and it’s cold and you’re paranoid because the guys can’t keep going, there’s just no energy in the building.” said Cronin this week.

Arizona was the only Pac-12 team to average at least 10,000 fans at home games during the conference’s final season. Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State averaged fewer than 4,000 fans, with California just over that limit at 4,022.

There will be a carryover effect in the Big Ten, as all four newcomers from the Pac-12 are in the bottom five in home attendance, with USC’s average of 3,872 being the lowest and UCLA second to last with an average of 4,830 .

UCLA guards Kobe Johnson (0), Lazar Stefanovic (10), Dylan Andrews (2) and Skyy Clark (55) celebrate the victory over Gonzaga on December 28 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Bruins can expect more than double those numbers almost every time they board a plane to the Midwest or East Coast.

“In these college towns,” Cronin said, “it’s the only show in town, so attendance is big. … So the energy in the building will not be a problem at these points. You better play with toughness and stretch your defense better because teams with home crowds like that tend to play harder and I think it’s foolish gold to think that you’re going to get into those types of places and score 80 points .”

The Bruins may also want to pack their winter coats. The weather forecast for Lincoln, Neb., calls for a high of 24 degrees Saturday, giving Cronin a chance to wear the ski mask and gloves his brother Dan bought him for Christmas.

“I was like, ‘Yo, man, I live in Southern California,'” Mick Cronin said, “and he said, ‘You’re in the Big Ten.’ How about this? The guy is a comedian.”

Injury updates

UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr., wearing a face mask, enjoys the moment after making a three-pointer against Gonzaga on Dec. 28 at the Intuit Dome.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Cronin said forward William Kyle III was likely out for the game against Nebraska but could return as early as Tuesday against Michigan after undergoing surgery for an undisclosed ailment.

Forward Eric Dailey Jr. is expected to wear a mask “for the foreseeable future” after taking a shot in the face against North Carolina last month, Cronin said.

In his first game with the mask against Gonzaga, Dailey made four of five three-pointers. “Maybe he won’t take it off the rest of the year,” Cronin said.

Etc.

Former UCLA forward Berke Buyuktuncel is averaging 7.9 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds in his first season at Nebraska. “I’m happy for him,” Cronin said. “He’s definitely gotten stronger and I think he fits in with what they’re doing.” Bruins forward Lazar Stefanovic said he’s looking forward to reuniting with his former roommate. “The thing I loved about him was that when we played video games, he would make all kinds of jokes and stuff and everyone in the apartment would have a lot of fun with it,” Stefanovic said. “And he was good at video games.” …UCLA hit 42.9% of its three-pointers in December, increasing its accuracy from distance to 37.1% this season. “The advantage we have in our starting lineup,” Cronin said, “is that everyone can shoot.”