The win was also junior Eric Dailey Jr.’s first game of the season and his return was triumphant.
He has been a fixture for the Bruins since transferring before his sophomore season, but an apparently minor knee injury he suffered in the offseason kept him sidelined for about a month and forced him to miss UCLA’s season opener against Eastern Washington on November 3. The Bruins got a win, but Dailey Jr. was sorely missed. When he took the court Friday night, Pauley Pavilion roared.
“It’s good to have a crowd like that, it helps us get started early in the season, especially. It’s good to be back with my team. Honestly, I just thank God. Thank God I get to play with these guys,” Dailey Jr. said.
The junior impressed with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists while shooting 3-4 from the field. He was one of four Bruins to reach double figures.
Beyond his contributions on the court, the energy and dedication he brings to the team introduces a whole new level of value and can light a fire on his team.
“Just having him out there, his presence, his attitude, he brings a lot,” UCLA head coach Mick Cronin said. “You’ve got to have a guy that shows up every day with a smile and a love for the game and practices hard, just goes full speed ahead. We miss him for that reason alone… it’s great to have him back, are you kidding me?”
While missing a month of preseason makes it difficult for any player to shake off the rust, Dailey Jr. had the added challenge of making a position transition in addition to rehabbing his injury.
He was primarily a shooting guard for the Bruins during the 2024-25 season, and did well averaging 11.4 points, four rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Now, Dailey Jr. has transitioned into more of a small forward role and the time off the court made that adjustment even more challenging and his early success even more impressive.
“He’s playing all three this year. He’s been out for a month, so he hasn’t had a chance to practice live at that position. So it’s still going to be a work in progress for him,” Cronin said.
Cronin mentioned that some things, like adjusting to a zone offense, will be difficult for Dailey Jr. until he gets more reps.
Now, what does Dailey Jr. think about the new position?
“At the end of the day, it’s basketball, I’m a basketball player, so I can go out there, play, figure out my spots… (The} transition hasn’t been too difficult for me, honestly. I know the game of basketball. Coach is teaching me a lot of things and (there are) a lot of examples of three-pointers that you can see. So it’s been a smooth transition.”