Jon Rothstein predicts a bright future for UCLA Bruins: "The ceiling for this UCLA team is higher than the last two teams"

The UCLA Bruins have not lost a game since November 18th and have made their case as the best team in the country. This team may be better than the last two teams. This is significant given last year's team's Sweet 16 loss to UNC and the team's magical final four runs two years ago. Jon Rothstein believes this team can achieve great things as well.

"The ceiling for this UCLA team is higher than the last two teams," Rothstein said on the Morning After show.

21-year-old two-time Pac-12 All-Defensive team member forward Jaime Jaquez has been the driving force setting the tone for this Bruins team. In the most recent matchup against Colorado, the UCLA student athlete of the week finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks, four steals, and three assists.

The Pac-12 conference leaders are 16-2, while UCLA has proven to be one of the most well-rounded teams in the country, ranked 56th in the country in assists and fifth in turnovers.

They have a higher defensive rating (eighth) than they do offensively (32nd). This week, they will face two teams within their conference that will battle them for the Pac 12 Championship. Playing the Sun Devils at Arizona State, head coach Bobby Hurley understands how important their game is against UCLA at home.

UCLA Bruins' success

They were defeated by Illinois and Baylor in the Las Vegas Main Event in November, but have since won 14 consecutive games, the third-longest active winning streak in the country.

UCLA has been successful thanks to a combination of quality, experience, and depth at nearly every position, while also boasting the nation's fifth-ranked defense and 12th-ranked attack. The Bruins don't make many 3-pointers, shooting only 27.5% from outside the arc, ranking them 12th in Division I. On the other hand, they hit 3s at a 36.4% clip and shot 51.9% from inside the arc, frequently earning buckets by using Jaime Jaquez's experience and ability to create mismatches.

If the Bruins walk out of their road game with a win, they will go down the street to Tucson and face the Wildcats of Arizona. The Bruins have a well-balanced team that will be battle tested and experienced in big games by March. They will need to rebound well both on defense and on offense.