Ucla Men's Basketball Earns No. 7 Seed, To Face No. 10 Ucf In Philadelphia

UCLA coach Mick Cronin expects his squad to clasp lofty expectations that travel nan Bruins immoderate clip they return nan level during nan NCAA tournament.

The programme has won an NCAA grounds 11 nationalist titles and made 19 Final Four appearances.

No. 7-seed UCLA’s (22-11) push for different heavy NCAA tourney tally originates Friday against No. 10-seed Central Florida (21-11) successful Philadelphia successful nan East Regional. If nan Bruins win, they will look nan victor of No. 2 Connecticut (29-5) versus No. 15 Furman (22-12).

Cronin was hoping the Bruins, who flew location from nan Big Ten tourney successful Chicago connected Sunday morning, would get a break and unfastened postseason play Friday alternatively than Thursday. He recalled playing successful nan American Athletic Conference tourney title connected Sundays and still getting assigned Thursday NCAA tourney games, but Purdue coach Matt Painter told Cronin connected Saturday nighttime that he should beryllium successful statement for a Friday NCAA tourney opener and nan forecast proved accurate.

Cronin said nan cosmopolitan UCLA programme attraction connected NCAA tourney occurrence drove his determination to clasp guardant Tyler Bilodeau and defender Donovan Dent retired of a 73-66 Big Ten semifinal loss to Purdue connected Saturday nighttime astatine nan United Center. Bilodeau’s wounded was a insignificant knee sprain suffered successful nan win complete Michigan State connected Friday, while Dent suffered a insignificant calf strain early successful nan crippled against nan Boilermakers. Both are expected to beryllium fresh to play Friday.

“Tyler could person played [against Purdue.] You know, Donny could person played. They would person been playing hurt,” Cronin said aft nan nonaccomplishment to nan Boilermakers. “I wouldn’t person played them successful a regular play game. I conscionable effort to return attraction of guys.”

The coach said nan other minutes played by Eric Freeny, Xavier Booker, Steven Jamerson II and Brandon Williams will thief nan Bruins erstwhile nan afloat lineup is successful spot for NCAA tourney games.

He called nan team’s effort to push eventual Big Ten champion Purdue valiant, but nan games up successful March simply mean much to nan Bruins.

“With each owed respect to nan Big Ten, you could spot really difficult our guys are trying to win,” Cronin said. “But our feline are good aware, because they believe nether 11 banners that opportunity nationalist title each day. They lukewarm up nether different banner pinch 19 Final Fours connected it. We don’t moreover person 1 pinch convention championships origin there’s 36 aliases something. There’s truthful many. So [this] week is what it’s astir for us.”

UCLA enters nan tourney connected a 4-1 streak, looking particularly beardown since nan almanac deed March.

“I was happy pinch nan measurement we competed,” Cronin said erstwhile asked whether he learned thing astir his players during a spirited Big Ten tourney run. “... We sewage talent, we conscionable haven’t ever had our mind connected defense, which is very uncommon for teams that I coach. We sewage awesome guys. Since March 1 aliases whenever nan heck we played Nebraska, it’s been a noted alteration successful our team, we’ve conscionable sewage to support it up. And we’ve sewage to get immoderate rebounds retired of nan 5 spot.

”... We’re astatine UCLA, nary matter who we return nan level against successful nan NCAA tournament, we’re going to beryllium nan ones wearing nan babe blues and 4 letters. So we judge successful ourselves.”

UCF is coached by erstwhile Duke prima Johnny Dawkins. Point defender Themus Fulks is a cardinal leader for nan Knights, earning 3rd squad All-Big 12 honors aft averaging 14.1 points and 6.7 assists per title during nan regular season.

UCF posted top-25 wins complete Kansas, Texas Tech and Brigham Young.