This post was updated Feb. 3 at 11:23 p.m.
A formidable interior presence is imperative in the Big Ten.
And UCLA has lacked a solution at center since former Bruin Aday Mara transferred to Michigan ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
That seemingly changed Tuesday night.
Junior forward/center Xavier Booker spearheaded UCLA men’s basketball’s (16-7, 8-4 Big Ten) 98-66 victory against Rutgers (9-14, 2-10) on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion with a career-high 24 points. The Michigan State transfer netted four 3-point attempts, shot 10-for-11 from the field and dished out three assists to orchestrate the Bruins’ offense – a unit that notched a season-high 52 first-half points.
The junior’s paint presence warranted substantial attention, as he finished with a 85.7% clip on inside-the-arc attempts, which opened up opportunities for him to swing the ball out to the perimeter.
Booker’s performance came after playing just 31 out of 50 possible minutes in UCLA’s 98-97 double-overtime loss to Indiana on Saturday, when coach Mick Cronin benched him in favor of a small-ball lineup during the two overtime periods.
The Indianapolis, Indiana, local recorded just seven points and attempted seven shots, converting on three Saturday.
And prior to the Indiana game, Booker had not achieved a double-digit scoring performance since scoring 12 in UCLA’s 82-72 loss to Gonzaga on Dec. 13.
“I haven’t had a game this good in a while,” Booker said. “The main thing for me is being confident in everything I do and trusting the work I put in … and being around a great group of guys that always are encouraging.”
Yet, Booker was not the only player who contributed to the Bruins’ scoring party.
UCLA shot 55.6% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc against Rutgers, who came into Westwood allowing 75.3 points per game, the fourth-highest mark in the Big Ten.
“People see you get upset with communication. You have to be extremely clear,” Cronin said. “In this generation, they don’t sit and listen in the lectures – the professors put the notes up for you. We had to pay attention and take notes. If you’re hard on Little Johnny in this era, you might get investigated.”
The Bruins hit both marks after shooting 30-for-76 against the Hoosiers.
Senior forward Tyler Bilodeau supplemented Booker’s career-high night, netting three beyond-the-arc tries in the first half to help mount a 12-point lead heading into the second half.
“We did a really good job the last couple days of practice really coming together and staying focused, listening to the coaching staff,” Bilodeau said. “We have to keep building off that.”
Bilodeau boasted a 30% 3-point clip during his freshman season at Oregon State.
That tally has climbed up to 44.3% this season.
And the senior has shot 50% or better from deep in six of his last seven outings after going 3-for-6 from long range Tuesday.
From the backcourt, senior guard Donovan Dent earned his fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 assists to help spearhead the offense alongside Booker.
“To have any chance of a pro career, Donnie (Donovan Dent) had to come here and do three things: One is make us win. Two and three are how to make us win – take care of the ball and play harder on defense, much harder,” Cronin said.
UCLA showcased its prolific offense with former Bruin Lonzo Ball – who boasted a 55.1% field goal percentage in his sole, first team All-American campaign in Westwood – watching from the sidelines.
Ball was honored Tuesday night, and his face was scattered throughout the arena as numerous student fans wore shirts celebrating his Westwood legacy.
Although Booker reflected Ball’s legacy on the court, the forward/center stole the show.
And with it, the Bruins may have found their long-awaited interior solution.
“(It was) so great to see Xavier Booker smile,” Cronin said.
