GAME NOTES: Pac-12 Conference play commences for both the UCLA Bruins and the Colorado Buffaloes on Friday as the two teams square off in a battle at Coors Events Center.

UCLA comes into the clash with an 8-5 record on the season, but the Bruins have dropped three games in a row with a 56-50 defeat at the hands of Alabama being the most recent loss. UCLA is 0-1 on the road this season.

Colorado has been off since a Christmas Day contest against Hawaii in the Diamond Head Classic, which the Buffaloes lost, 69-66. The home squad enters this game against its conference rival with a 7-5 ledger on the season, but is 6-1 at home so far.

This meeting between the sides will represent the 10th in the programs' all- time series. UCLA owns an 8-1 advantage in the series, and is 4-0 against Colorado since the Buffaloes joined the Pac-12 prior to the 2011-12 campaign.

UCLA put up such a poor offensive performance in the first half in the team's last contest against Alabama, that the Bruins effectively buried themselves even despite a second-half comeback attempt. UCLA connected on 17.9 percent shooting from the floor in the first frame, and missed all seven 3-point attempts to fall behind 29-17 at the intermission. Bryce Alford netted 16 points with six rebounds to pace the team, while Isaac Hamilton chipped in with 15 points and Tony Parker contributed 10 in the losing effort.

Five players for the Bruins enter this clash against Colorado averaging a scoring total in double figures, but the drop-off from the team's fifth- leading scorer to the sixth is monumental. Alford leads UCLA (75.6 ppg as a team) in scoring, averaging 17.5 ppg this season. Then it's Normal Powell (15.1 ppg), Kevon Looney (12.8 ppg), Hamilton (12.1 ppg), and Parker (10.1 ppg) who round out the team's point leaders. Then comes Thomas Welsh, who nets 4.2 ppg, checking in behind Parker. Looney tops UCLA in rebounding, averaging a double-double with 10.4 boards per outing.

Colorado just couldn't slow the host Rainbow Warriors in the team's last outing, as the Buffaloes allowed Hawaii to net 50 percent of its 3-point tries in what was ultimately a game decided by three points. Josh Scott led Colorado in the loss, netting 23 points, while Askia Booker wasn't too far off the pace at 22 points. Xavier Johnson chipped in with 15 points and eight rebounds in the losing effort.

The Buffaloes have relied mainly on a strong scoring defense to get the job done this season, as the team enters this matchup allowing just 60.8 ppg to opponents, who are shooting 39.2 percent from the floor. Booker and Scott top the team in scoring this season, respectively. Booker nets 15.3 ppg, and Scott contributes 14.8 ppg to a Colorado scoring offense averaging 68.3 ppg this season. Johnson (13.5 ppg) is the third and final double-digit scorer for the team. Scott's 7.7 rpg mark is the highest the Buffaloes will roll out against the Bruins.

UCLA hasn't been able to keep pace in any of its last three outings, although the Bruins have played some seriously tough competition. Colorado will try to use its home advantage to gain the lead, but a very potent Bruins scoring offense should be able to overpower the Buffaloes on the road.