UCLA men’s basketball vs. Long Island: What you need to know

The UCLA men’s basketball team will look to close out its three-game homestand with another early-season victory when it hosts the Northeast Conference’s Long Island University from Brooklyn, New York.

Here’s what you need to know about the nonconference matchup:

UCLA VS. LONG ISLAND

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Pauley Pavilion

TV/Radio: Pac-12 Network/570 AM

Records: UCLA 2-0; Long Island 0-2

UCLA’s latest result: After training 33-30 at halftime, UCLA used a 30-4 run in the second half to pull away for a 68-50 win against Lafayette in a nonconference matchup Friday. Sophomore guard Dylan Andrews and freshman guard Sebastian Mack each scored a team-high 18 points for the Bruins. Andrews had a team-high four assists. Junior guard Lazar Stefanovic, a transfer from Utah, added 11 points, four rebounds and a team-high four steals. Sophomore forward Adem Bona, who had a career-high 28 points in UCLA’s season opener, was held to six points and six rebounds on 1-of-7 shooting. The Bruins will want to step up their offensive efficiency on Wednesday, after only shooting 34.6% from the field in the first half and 43.1% for the game in last week’s 18-point victory.

Long Island’s latest result: Long Island is coming off an 88-53 loss at Pepperdine on Monday night. The Sharks were led by sophomore guard R.J. Greene, who had a double-double with a team-high 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Matchup to watch: Stefanovic, who is 6-foot-7 and 190 pounds, vs. Greene, who is 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds. Both guards are above-average rebounders for their position but Stefanovic is the more willing outside shooter, which has added a much-needed wrinkle to UCLA’s offense. Greene is 4 of 12 from beyond the arc (33.3%) in his 29-game career and has not attempted a 3-pointer in his first two games this season. Stefanovic is 90 of 268 from beyond the arc (33.6%) in his 65-game career, including 2 of 8 from 3-point range in his first two games at UCLA.

UCLA trends to watch: Bona, who is averaging 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game, has been selected to the preseason Top 50 watch list for the John R. Wooden Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top men’s and women’s college basketball players. Bona is also on the preseason watchlist for the Naismith Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding men’s and women’s basketball players, and the preseason top 20 list for the Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the nation’s top power forward in men’s college basketball.

UCLA is 1-1 all-time against Long Island, with the two prior matchups in 1948 and 1950.

The Bruins will look to extend their current 27-game home winning streak before traveling to Honolulu on Saturday for next week’s Maui Invitational (Nov. 20-22). The Bruins will open the tournament against No. 4 Marquette at 8:30 p.m. PT Monday.