Already facing an epic challenge going against one of the nation’s top big men in USC’s Evan Mobley, UCLA headed into its rivalry game against the Trojans on Saturday night at the Galen Center needing to find especially some creative solutions.
The No. 21 Bruins were missing their top two big men after junior forward Cody Riley sprained his right ankle in practice and junior forward Jalen Hill was sitting out the game because of what an athletic department spokesman described as personal reasons.
That left UCLA with only two options in the post: Kenneth Nwuba, a seldom-used redshirt sophomore, and Mac Etienne, who would have been playing in prep school had the COVID-19 pandemic not prompted him to head to UCLA earlier than expected.