UCLA’s Johnny Juzang cleared from COVID-19 protocols, will play vs. Arizona

The No. 3 UCLA Bruins will get their top scorer back in time for their matchup against the No. 7 Arizona Wildcats on Thursday night.

After missing the past two games due to COVID-19 protocols, junior guard Johnny Juzang has been cleared to return to action.

Coincidentally, Juzang last played on Jan. 25 against the Wildcats. In UCLA’s 75-59 win over Arizona, the guard scored 15 points, adding three rebounds and two assists over 32 minutes. He was 6 of 18 from the field and 3 of 5 from deep in the victory.

This season, the guard paces the Bruins in points per game with 18.1.

Juzang might not be the only UCLA player back in the mix Thursday night, either, as junior guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. is considered a game-time decision.

Jaquez, who reaggravated an ankle injury in Saturday’s win over the Stanford Cardinal, is the Bruins’ third highest scorer on the team, averaging 12.3 points per contest. He’s also grabbing 5.3 rebounds per game, a team high.

One player the Bruins won’t have back for the tilt is sophomore guard Jaylen Clark, who is listed as doubtful. Clark is expected to miss his fourth straight game due to a concussion.

Over 14 games, Clark is averaging six points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists over 17.9 minutes per contest.

Thursday’s matchup pits the top two Pac-12 teams against one another. UCLA enters play at the top of the conference standings at 8-1 (16-2 overall), while Arizona sits at 7-1 (17-2 overall).

The Wildcats and Bruins tipoff in Tucson at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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