The UCLA Bruins are undefeated through three games this season, but have yet to play on the road.
The team will get their first chance to play away from Pauley Pavilion on Monday night, as they face off against Georgetown in the Progressive Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Bruins will get a boost on Monday night from prized-recruit Shabazz Muhammad, who will suit up for the first time after dealing with eligibility issues.
The NCAA had previously ruled Muhammad ineligible for competition before UCLA's first game against Indiana State due to amateurism issues related to taking visits to Duke and North Carolina while he was a recruit.
UCLA filed an appeal on behalf of Muhammad, and the NCAA ruled him eligible to play.
According to the Associated Press, "The NCAA ruled that the Bruins' own sanctions of Muhammad, which included repaying $1,600 in impermissible benefits to go along with the suspension, were sufficient."
The team has played well in his absence, but will be happy to welcome back a recruit that was the MVP of the McDonald's All-American game last year. Muhammad will join one of the top recruiting classes in the country, which includes Jordan Adams, Tony Parker and Kyle Anderson.
"I am excited to be able to play for UCLA starting next Monday," Muhammad said in a statement. "My family and friends were very supportive of me throughout this process and I couldn't have gone through this without them."
UCLA coasted to an easy 100-70 win over James Madison on Thursday night, but almost suffered a home upset by UC Irvine, winning 80-79 in overtime. The Bruins shot only 37 percent on Tuesday, but were much better against James Madison, hitting nearly 60 percent of its shots.
Freshman Jordan Adams has been a force for the Bruins and is one reason why the team is still undefeated.
Adams is hitting over 50 percent of his shots and is averaging 24 points per game to lead the team. He had 25 points on Thursday to become the "first freshman in school history to score 20-plus in each of his first three contests," according to the Associated Press.
"As a freshman he has an uncanny ability to put the ball in the basket," said teammate Larry Drew II, UCLA's lone senior. "I'm not surprised by anything he does."
Drew has also been solid for the Bruins after transferring from North Carolina, averaging 6.0 points and 8.3 assists.
UCLA has been stellar rebounding the ball this season, ranking 13th in the nation with 45 per game. The Bruins have also been efficient moving the ball, ranking 19th in assists per game in the country.
Georgetown offers the Bruins their first true test of the season after the team played three mid-major opponents.
The Hoyas are 2-0, but have struggled to score in both games, including a 68-50 victory over Liberty on Wednesday.
"With all due respect to Liberty, we got some games coming up, and we're preparing for some teams that are a little bit better than them," forward Nate Lubick said. "We use these games to find ourselves, to find what this team's identity is going to be."
The junior has averaged 10 points and nearly eight rebounds through two games, including a 13-point effort against Liberty.
Georgetown ranks near the bottom in the nation in points and rebounds per game, coming in at 239th and 241st respectively. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera leads the team in scoring, averaging 15 points per game.
Sophomore Greg Whittington has been stellar for the Hoyas, averaging a double-double with 13 points per game and 12 rebounds. Whittington was crucial in Sunday's 61-55 victory against Duquesne, grabbing 15 rebounds in 40 minutes of play.
The Hoyas will use an offense predicated on precision passing and fast cuts to take advantage of the Bruins defense.
"It puts pressure on the defense from many different angles and you have many different options on how to score," head coach John Thompson III said in a conference call last week, according to the LA Times.
Georgetown will get a boost if forward Otto Porter returns to the lineup. Porter was forced to miss the game against Liberty after dealing with a concussion and Thompson said he may play.
"(Porter) is one of the best players in the country," said UCLA head coach Ben Howland to the Associated Press. "They have really good players and they really execute their stuff."
The Legends Classic is being held for the fifth time and includes UCLA, Georgetown, Indiana and Georgia.
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