Past UCLA teams have faced plenty of Dan Monson-coached squads in years past, but the Nov. 3 season opener in Los Angeles marks the first time the No. 12-ranked Bruins meet an Eastern Washington side with Monson at the helm.
UCLA played Long Beach State nine times during Monson’s tenure with the Beach, which spanned from 2007-08 through 2023-24. Monson coached Long Beach State to its only-ever victory over the Bruins — a 79-68 decision in the 2009-10 campaign — but lost the next eight straight, including all four games since Mick Cronin arrived at UCLA in 2019.
Monson is now beginning his second season as head coach at Eastern Washington, which is facing host UCLA for just the second time in program history.
The Eagles finished 10-22 in their first season under Monson, who ended his tenure at Long Beach State with a run to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Eastern Washington ended the 2024-25 season on a six-game losing streak.
A highlight amid the Eagles’ struggles a season ago was the breakout performance of guard Andrew Cook, a transfer from NAIA program Carroll College. However, The Spokesman-Review reported on Monday that Cook sustained a season-ending ankle injury, three days before Cook was announced as a preseason All-Big Sky Conference selection.
“You don’t try to replace him. That’s impossible,” Monson said. “He had a unique game, and he was a guy who could go get his own shot at the end. He had a lot of experience. It’s going to have to be a committee, several guys.”
Cook averaged 15.8 points per game to pace the Eagles a season ago, grabbed 3.5 rebounds per game and swiped more than a steal per game. His loss highlights the importance of 2024-25 All-Big West performer Isaiah Moses stepping up upon joining the Eastern Washington backcourt from UC Riverside.
Moses averaged 12.0 points and 3.0 assists per game for the Highlanders.
Moses may be in the background as far as the transfer guards debuting for their teams, with UCLA premiering Donovan Dent. Nov. 3 marks Dent’s regular-season debut at UCLA after transferring in from New Mexico.
He played his first game as a Bruin in an Oct. 17 exhibition at San Diego State, compensating for a shaky 4-of-16 shooting from the floor with a 10-of-10 performance at the free-throw line.
The explosive-scoring Dent averaged 20.4 points per game on his way to winning the 2024-25 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year. He adds perimeter offensive punch to a UCLA lineup returning last year’s leading scorers, frontcourt standouts Tyler Bilodeau (13.5 points per game) and Eric Dailey Jr. (11.4).
Alongside Dent at guard is Skyy Clark. The Louisville transfer, by way of Illinois, finished last year strong with double-figure-scoring games in four of UCLA’s final five, including NCAA Tournament matchups with Utah State and Tennessee.
Brandon Williams, a top 100-ranked recruit in the 2023 class, could see his first regular-season gameplay since the 2023-24 campaign. Williams missed the entirety of UCLA’s first year as a Big Ten Conference member and came out of the Oct. 17 exhibition with an apparent hip injury.
“He’s getting there,” Cronin said of Williams’ progress. “Big, strong guy; (we are) trying to pattern him after (NBA veteran) Draymond Green.”
