UCLA Basketball: New Bruin Already Emerging As Team's Best Shooter

UCLA's dominant win over St. Francis (Pa.) Monday wasn't a surprise but it was still a significant night for the Bruins.

With a 75-44 performance at Pauley Pavilion, Mick Cronin won his 100th game as a head coach at UCLA on the first game of his fifth season.

Cronin didn't have much to say of the accomplishments, noting the legendary UCLA coaches that have occupied the seat before him.

He did, however, have high praise for Utah transfer Lazar Stefanovic, a junior guard who scored 11 points, the second-highest total behind sophomore forward Adem Bona, who finished with 28 points.

Stefanovic averaged 10.3 points per game last season while playing 28.3 minutes per game. In his 36 minutes on the court, Cronin was impressed with the guard from Serbia's versatility.

"Right now, (Stefanovic) is our best shooter," Cronin said. "He's our best reader of screens. He talks the most, he's our smartest player. He had eight rebounds and he turns it over about once a week, if that."

(Via Los Angeles Daily News)

In his last two seasons, Stefanovic averaged roughly 1.5 turnovers per game. Last night, he had zero.

Stefanovic's 36 minutes were the ninth-most in a game among Power 6 players this season. When asked about being out on the court for almost the entirety of the game, he credited his preparation in the offseason.

"I look at it as it's what you're supposed to do. It's part of your job," Stefanovic said. "If your team needs you, you gotta be ready," "That's something you prepare for during the summer, in the preseason and then when the game starts you're able to play as much as the team needs you."

(Via John W. Davis, Press-Telegram)

After Stefanovic's response, Bona leaned in and called Stefanovic a "soldier" who just "doesn't get tired."

The Bruins will host Lafayette out of Pennsylvania in Pauley Pavilion Friday night at 8 p.m. PST.