Arizona-UCLA scouting report: On Kusturica's talent, Gonzaga's five-for-fives and salesmanship

No. 5 Arizona (0-0) vs. No. 22 UCLA (0-0)

T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas | 7 p.m. | TNT | 1290-AM

Probable starters

ARIZONA

7 G Derek Dixon (6-5 sophomore)

3 G Caleb Holt (6-5 freshman)

6 G Bryce James (6-5 sophomore)

8 F Ivan Kharchenkov (6-7 sophomore)

13 C Motiejus Krivas (7-2 senior)

Key reserves

2 G Cameron Holmes (6-6 freshman)

23 G JJ Mandaquit (6-1 sophomore)

35 F Maksim Brnovic (6-10 freshman)

12 F Ugnius Jarusevicius (6-11 senior)

UCLA

0 G Trent Perry (6-4 junior)

4 G Jaylen Petty (6-1 sophomore)

17 G/F Nikola Kusturica (6-9 freshman)

3 G/F Eric Dailey (6-8 senior)

1 F/C Xavier Booker (6-11 senior)

Key reserves

7 G/F Joe Philon (6-8 freshman)

23 G Azavier Robinson (6-2 sophomore)

38 F/C Filip Jovic (6-8 sophomore)

How they match up

The series: The former Pac-12 rivals are tied 1-1 so far in their three-game series they signed after leaving the conference in 2024. UCLA edged the Wildcats 57-54 in Phoenix during the 2024-25 season and Arizona won 69-65 at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome last season. UCLA leads the all-time series 64-51.

Game agreement: Arizona will receive $75,000 and other considerations from Position Sports for what is the final game in a three-year series with UCLA.

UCLA overview: Five players were eligible to return to the Bruins after last season… and all five actually did. Where does that happen anymore? The continuity and a talented recruiting class led by five-star Spanish wing Nikola Kusturica is expected to allow the Bruins to compete in the Big Ten race and to stay in the Top 25.

While UCLA lost point guard Donovan Dent, it is shifting sophomore Trent Perry over after he played mostly off the ball last season, while versatile forward Eric Dailey and improving center Xavier Booker return to anchor the frontcourt. Booker finished last season on a high note, especially after now-departed Tyler Bilodeau suffered a season-ending injury, while returning reserve wings Brandon Williams and Eric Freeney could make jumps.

The Bruins also added high-level newcomers who are expected to step right away into starting roles: Exceptionally athletic shooting guard Jaylen Petty, who averaged 9.9 points for Texas Tech last season (but had two points and five fouls against UA at McKale Center), and Kusturica, the 17-year-old Serbian sensation who spent last season playing for FC Barcelona’s U22 team — and then averaged 24.6 points and 6.9 rebounds during the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup last summer. A proven playmaker with good shooting range, Kusturica can also play small forward and allow UCLA to keep Dailey at power forward in a big lineup

Off the bench, Azavier “Stink” Robinson is a strong defender in the backcourt while the athletic Philon has high upside as a big wing player. Big man Filip Jovic played for Auburn at McKale Center last season, pulling down five rebounds in Arizona’s 97-68 win.

He said it: “I think this team has a chance to be one of the best defensive teams (Cronin) has had. They have great size and length on the perimeter. They’re going to present a lot of challenges."

“Trent Perry had a great year last year. We played them so early in the year we didn’t see the vintage Trent Perry. He improved a lot and was vital to their success. Booker and Dailey were more in the mix when we did play them, but they got a lot of experience last year. I think Booker got better and better as the year went on and I have the utmost respect for Eric Dailey. He's one of the toughest, smartest, most disciplined players in the country. He’s an elite basketball player.

“Kusturica is one of the top NBA prospects in the country, 6-9; I would assume probably close to a 7-foot wingspan. Really, really long, great defender, blocks shots, rebounds offensively, plays so hard. Everybody thinks he only worries about offensive scoring. He impacts winning in a lot of ways.

“They have a great coaching staff and have had a lot of success there. It’s going to be a tough matchup to open the season with.” — UA associate head coach Jack Murphy, who scouted the Bruins

Key players

UCLA

Trent Perry

The sophomore combo guard was named to the Jerry West Award watch list for the top shooting guard in college basketball along with Caleb Holt and 18 others — even though he’s actually playing point guard this season. Whatever, Perry is expected to be a force. He's effective at shooting at all levels and at playmaking, particularly in pick-and-rolls. He's also a pesky defender on the other side of the court.

ARIZONA

Ivan Kharchenkov

While Motiejus Krivas is gaining the most preseason accolades among the Wildcats, Kharchenkov has the most on his plate, especially if RJ Godfrey remains ineligible. Without Godfrey, Kharchenkov has to play power forward, score at all levels and defend bigger players. But his energy, talent and passion are also expected to carry him a long way against UCLA and all season.

Sidelines

Sales hustle

In an era where top college basketball players routinely make seven figures, coaches are adding more fundraising duties to recruiting and coaching every year.

But when working toward a $12.75 million sponsorship deal with Tempe-based car retailer Carvana, which will result in the Wildcats wearing jersey patches with the Tempe-based car retailer’s logo, UA coach Tommy Lloyd said he had to be careful.

“The thing that I really considered is if you're putting something on our jersey, it better have meaning to us,” Lloyd said. “We're fortunate to find a premium company that's obviously in-state and has a ton of Arizona roots within it.

“We want to deliver on our end on this deal and really create value for Carvana. We want this to be a true partnership that's not defined by just a patch on a jersey ...  and I think both sides saw a lot of potential in that. They're great guys, and they were really eager to be a part of this, so we're very thankful.”

Lloyd said he and his staff took an active role toward securing the $12.75 million deal, which will funnel an average of $3.19 million each of the next four seasons through the Arizona Sports Enterprises arm of UA’s athletic department.

“We have a responsibility from those within the program to be participating in the revenue generation required,” Lloyd said. “This isn't something you want to put on somebody else's plate, and then if they don't give you what you want, you complain. I would rather participate in the process, and that's what we've chosen to do. So we feel really good about the progress we've made.”

Therapy sessions

Still a notably close friend of Gonzaga’s Mark Few even after he left the Zags to take over Arizona in 2021, Lloyd recently has had another reason to bond with his old boss: Over their mutual frustrations with the NCAA’s five-for-five situation.

Lloyd entered the weekend without forward RJ Godfrey eligible to play a fifth season, while Few actually has two five-for-five players who have been cleared legally and one who hasn’t. 

“Yeah, we've had some conversations,” Lloyd said. “He's a lot deeper into it than I am. He seems to be into all those things these days, so I think we're all just kind of waiting to see how this next thing goes.”

The two coaches will even have a chance to chat about it in Las Vegas, because Few’s team will face Purdue in the first evening game of a four-game set Monday at T-Mobile Arena.

Quadrupleheader

The Arizona women’s basketball team is scheduled to tip off what is being billed as the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas at 11:30 a.m. Arizona time against Stanford. That game and an immediately following one between the women’s teams at UNLV and USC will be carried on CBS Sports Network.

After a short midafternoon break to clear the arena, the Zags and Boilermakers are scheduled to play at 5:30, with that game and the UA-UCLA game both carried on TNT.

Tickets for the women’s and men’s doubleheaders are being sold separately. Plenty remain for both sessions, though tickets are limited for lower-level seats during the men’s games.

Numbers game

2: Arizona’s ranking in defensive efficiency last season.

49: UCLA’s national ranking in defensive efficiency last season.

65.0: UCLA’s winning percentage in Big Ten games since leaving the Pac-12 before the 2024-25 season.

78.9: Arizona’s winning percentage in Big 12 games since leaving the Pac-12 before the 2024-25 season.

— Bruce Pascoe