UCLA Basketball: Bruins Can Eclipse .500 With Win Over UC Irvine

The UCLA Bruins look to go above .500 for the first time all season on Tuesday night as they host the UC Irvine Anteaters at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The Bruins have won their last three games, including an 82-39 drubbing of UC Davis on Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Joshua Smith had his first double-double of the season for the Bruins, with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocked shots against UC Davis. It nearly matched his production of his previous two games combined (19 points, 12 rebounds). Lazeric Jones leads the team in points (13.2 per game), assists (3.7 per game), and steals (2.4 per contest) this season, and has led the team in scoring in four of their last five games, averaging 17.4 points per contest during that span.

Travis Wear has missed the last two games for the Bruins with a skin infection on his left foot. Wear practiced on Monday and is probable for Tuesday's game.

UC irvine has struggled this season to a 2-8 record, including 0-5 on the road. The Anteaters are led by a pair of juniors. Guard Daman Starring averages 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while forward Michael Wilder averages 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and has made 27 three-pointers in 10 games this season. The duo of Starring and Wilder have combined to shoot 42.9% from beyond the arc so far this season.

The Bruins are 6-2 all-time against UC Irvine and have won the last five straight meetings, including a 74-73 triumph last season at Pauley Pavilion.

Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. PST game will be televised by Prime Ticket. For more UCLA basketball news and analysis, be sure to read Bruins Nation.