Injuries Challenge UCLA as They Move Forward in the Tournament
CHICAGO – Mick Cronin is all too familiar with the toll injuries can take, especially this time of year.
Three years back, UCLA was emerging as a national championship contender, but everything changed when forward Jalen Clark suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the last regular-season game. Just two games after that, center Aden Bona injured his shoulder.
As a result, the Bruins — lacking two starters and a future NBA player — fell to Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Now, Cronin finds himself facing yet another injury hurdle as his leading scorer, Tyler Bilodeau, clutched his right knee late in the first half during a recent match. He required assistance to exit the court and ultimately ended the game with just five points in 10 minutes.
Despite Bilodeau’s absence, the Bruins rallied together to claim an 88-84 victory over Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. However, it seems they’ll be without him for at least one game, possibly even longer.
Cronin noted it would require a “modern-day miracle” for Bilodeau, who is set for knee imaging tests, to participate against Purdue in the semifinals Saturday afternoon. “It would literally take a miracle for him to play,” he mentioned, adding that he was cautiously hopeful that Bilodeau only has a sprain.
Without their key player, the Bruins will rely more on centers Xavier Booker and Stephen Jamerson II, along with forward Brandon Williams. Williams stood out on Friday with nine points, four rebounds, and three steals in a solid 19 minutes on the court.
“We obviously need more from Xavier Booker and Steve Jamerson,” Cronin pointed out.
Booker had a quiet game with no points and a rebound in 14 minutes before fouling out, while Jamerson recorded two fouls without making any significant contributions in the last two minutes. Yet both managed to disrupt Michigan State’s scoring, which was crucial.
“The main thing we have to focus on is just defense and rebounding,” Booker stated, sharing his personal goal of improving in those areas. Despite losing the rebounding contest to Michigan State 34-26, the Bruins (23-10) displayed notably tough defense, sustaining a season-high four-game winning streak.
UCLA registered 25 deflections in the first half, leading to a halftime advantage of 44-33.
“What made a difference was our physicality, especially in rebounds. Denying them the ball made a huge impact, disrupting their rhythm,” Booker added, asserting their performance kept Michigan State from settling into a comfortable game.
Cronin is considering starting either Booker or Williams against the Boilermakers. Initially, Booker was UCLA’s primary center until Skye Clark returned from a hamstring injury, prompting Cronin to adopt a three-guard setup, placing Bilodeau at center.
Williams has filled in as a starter in four games this season, mainly due to injuries.
“Brandon started as a freshman, so he’s familiar with the intensity coaches expect,” remarked UCLA forward Eric Daley Jr. “Everyone, regardless of minutes played, needs to step up, work hard, make smart decisions, and execute correctly.”
Daley himself made a significant contribution with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals, which are critical points for a team missing their primary offensive threat.
As the Bruins approach Saturday’s game, they’re focused on maintaining the intensity they’ve shown since revitalizing their season. “It certainly stings to lose one of our best players,” Daly reflected.
