Why has Sebastian Mack thrived as UCLA’s | College News

The solely issues lacking from his emergence as UCLA’s nearer are an entrance tune and a breathless announcement from the P.A. announcer.

“Preparing to take the big shot for the Bruins, No. 12, Sebastian Mack!”

Otherwise, the sophomore guard has mastered taking on a sport within the remaining minutes.

He made the three-pointer that stored USC from finishing a comeback. He transformed an old school three-point play to nudge his workforce forward in opposition to Gonzaga. He badgered Wisconsin with a barrage of floaters and driving layups.

Like baseball’s best closers, Mack has proven a knack for being reliable in strain conditions.

“Sebastian’s got no fear,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin mentioned Wednesday, “and when you’ve got a guy like that, he believes he can score at any time.”

Mack typically finishes what his teammates began, coming off the bench to offer an infusion of offense. The newest got here with 68 seconds left Monday in opposition to the Trojans, who had crept to within a level after being down by 12.

With the shot clock about to run out and three of the Bruins’ high 5 scorers on the bench — Tyler Bilodeau with an injured ankle, Dylan Andrews with cramps and Kobe Johnson with 5 fouls — Mack rose for the three-pointer that quieted the roaring crowd inside the Galen Center.

“My mindset was, just try to find something,” Mack mentioned. “ … I just felt like I could get us there, I’ll take us home.”

Having developed a tendency to shoot line drives that hardly clear the rim, Mack might need benefited from good protection on a number of of his late jumpers.

“Because they were contested,” Cronin mentioned, “he had to lift his elbow and finish high, therefore he shot the ball with arc, the way he should have and the way we try to work with him on, and that’s why he made them.”

Mack identified that others have additionally stepped up late in video games. Bilodeau buried Arizona with a flurry of baskets, Skyy Clark made essential free throws in a number of video games and Andrews sank three-pointers in opposition to Oregon and Washington.

But Mack might need change into the one Bruin different groups don’t need to see with the ball in his arms within the remaining moments.

“It’s nice to have a Mariano Rivera that can get a bucket,” Cronin mentioned, referring to the Hall of Fame reliever from the New York Yankees. “He can get you an out. It’s nice to have somebody get you a bucket when you need a bucket and it’s in his DNA; it’s the way he’s wired.”

A bigs choice

UCLA heart Aday Mara (15) regains possession of the ball after an tried steal by USC ahead Rashaun Agee (12) on the Galen Center Monday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Should Cronin go along with Bilodeau or Aday Mara within the beginning lineup as soon as Bilodeau makes his imminent return from the ankle damage that pressured him to overlook most of the final two video games?

How about each?

Cronin mentioned he went back and watched the handful of conditions the place each gamers had been on the courtroom collectively this season. The problem with that lineup entails opponents that play 4 guards, placing Bilodeau at a drawback in opposition to a considerably faster participant.

“If you want that lineup in and you want Tyler at the four,” Cronin mentioned, “defensively, how are you going to handle that if he’s guarding the fourth guard?”

Cronin could not must reply that query in opposition to No. 16 Oregon on Thursday night time at Pauley Pavilion provided that the Ducks normally don’t use a small-ball strategy. That might result in more minutes for Mara, who has averaged 15.3 factors, 7.7 rebounds and 4.0 blocks whereas capturing 64.3% during his previous three video games, even when Bilodeau returns from his damage. Bilodeau practiced with the workforce Wednesday, placing him on monitor to presumably play in opposition to the Ducks.

Cronin mentioned Mara’s protection and rebounding, to not point out his willingness to push back in opposition to counterparts making an attempt to bully him, have been the most important causes he’s earned more taking part in time.

“The more he puts his hands up and the more he fights back,” Cronin mentioned, “the more the officials are going to actually call the foul [on the other player], OK?”

Familiar downside

UCLA guards Eric Dailey Jr. (3), Kobe Johnson (0) and Dylan Andrews (2) react after Bruins heart Aday Mara (15) was fouled whereas scoring in opposition to USC Monday on the Galen Center.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The cramps that pressured Andrews to take a seat out the ultimate 5 minutes in opposition to USC have been an ongoing challenge since his arrival on campus.

Breeze McDonald, Andrews’ godmother, informed The Times final yr that in depth testing revealed the situation was associated to hydration and nerves.

“He’s cramped for so long, even when he wasn’t going to cramp, he didn’t not want to not cramp, if you get it,” McDonald mentioned. “So he would play differently, it became psychosomatic at that point that, ‘Wow, I don’t want to let my team down,’ and … he kept saying, ‘No, I’m going to get through it.’ ”

Andrews’ remedy plan, devised by a workforce of specialists, entails a particular diet, fluids and dietary supplements.

“It’s been looked at from all angles,” Cronin mentioned. “I think it’s one of those things where they’ve helped him a lot, but it’s crept back up again.”

No love misplaced

UCLA heart Aday Mara (15) and guard Kobe Johnson (0) box out USC ahead Rashaun Agee (12) on the Galen Center Monday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Johnson, on being booed each time he touched the ball in his return to the Galen Center after spending his first three faculty seasons at USC: “I didn’t expect it to be that bad, but I loved every second of it.”

Before he fouled out with seven factors, three rebounds and two assists, Johnson held a finger over his mouth in a shushing gesture with the Bruins on their solution to a second consecutive victory on the Trojans’ home courtroom.

A gaggle of UCLA college students received within the remaining phrase whereas strolling by the concourse after the sport, chanting “Kobe Johnson!”

“That’s huge to me,” Johnson mentioned of the assist, “knowing that UCLA has embraced me so much already, so I can’t wait to try and continue to win here.”