The UCLA and USC basketball rivalry game has so much more stakes than school pride this year. Both programs have an eight-win record and have yet to come close to guaranteeing a spot for March Madness. Mick Cronin knows there will be one player among the Trojans that he has to watch out for, Boogie Ellis. The Bruins head coach unveiled how he along with the Lazar Stefanovic and Sebastian Mack-led squad plan to enter this matchup, via Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.

“He’s had ample time to recover, I think, at this point and he’s been a Bruin killer, so the basket gets real big when he sees the four letters playing against him,” Mick Cronin said about the USC basketball standout.

Boogie Ellis is nursing a hamstring injury. He still managed to play meager minutes against Washington State but was no longer available when they went up against Colorado. Moreover, Isaiah Collier is also suffering a hand injury which means that the USC basketball program will be without both of their top bucket-getters against UCLA.

This can be something that the Bruins can capitalize on. They have not won since they faced Oregon State. To make matters worse, they endured a 46-point loss to Utah during their seven-game losing streak. Cronin's squad will get the chance to turn their fate around since two of the top recruits in the USC basketball squad will be out.

Lazar Stefanovic disclosed how they will have to guard Ellis more intently. This scheme to prevent the ball from coming close to the USC basketball squad's leading scorer mixed with Sebastian Mack's scoring prowess might just net them their ninth win of the season.

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Boogie Ellis' impact on the UCLA-USC basketball rivalry

UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin clapping in joy with UCLA basketball players in background.

Ellis continues to be the bane of the Bruins. Last year, the USC basketball bucket-getter popped off in the rivalry game. UCLA was ranked eighth in the nation at the time and they had a sizable lead entering the half. It just so happens that Ellis decided that it was going to be his career night. He notched 31 points in a 13-point win over the Bruins.

Will the legend of the Bruin slayer come to life inside Galen Center this time around?