Sat Jan 18 02:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Iowa Hawkeyes Face Off Against Struggling UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles

**LOS ANGELES, CA** – The Iowa Hawkeyes (record unavailable) will look to break their road losing streak when they face the UCLA Bruins (11-6, 2-4 Big Ten) on Friday, January 17th, at 8:00 PM CT at Pauley Pavilion. The game, initially threatened by recent wildfires in the area, is set to proceed as scheduled and will be televised on FS1.

Despite a strong start to the season, the Bruins, once ranked #22, are currently on a four-game losing skid, all but one of which occurred away from their home court. UCLA’s impressive defense, ranked 11th nationally in efficiency, boasts the nation’s best turnover generation rate. However, this aggressive style has led to a high foul rate, a weakness Iowa may exploit. Offensively, UCLA has struggled, particularly in conference play, exhibiting poor shooting percentages.

Iowa, coming off a 99-89 loss to USC, will need to improve defensively to counter UCLA’s potent offense, led by Tyler Bilodeau (14.4 ppg) and Eric Dailey (11.6 ppg). Both players are versatile scorers effective both inside and outside the arc. The Bruins also feature a deep bench with multiple players capable of impacting the game, adding to the challenge for Iowa’s defense.

Iowa Head Coach Fran McCaffery acknowledged UCLA’s strengths, highlighting their defensive pressure and diverse offensive weapons. He also emphasized Iowa’s own deep rotation, featuring several players capable of scoring outbursts. The game will be a clash of styles, with Iowa needing to overcome its road woes and UCLA hoping to snap their losing streak at home. The game is expected to be close, with UCLA favored by 6.5 points according to early lines.

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