In the last three full seasons—those not interrupted by the pandemic—UCLA coach Mick Cronin made advancing in the NCAA Tournament seem almost effortless.
Each year, he’s guided the Bruins to the second round and even took them to the Final Four in 2021.
However, since that memorable run, the Bruins haven’t made it back to the Sweet 16.
But could something special be brewing again?
They certainly appear to have the potential for some March magic, having recently taken down three top-10 teams.
UCLA has also enjoyed a four-game winning streak, though their two top players suffered injuries. Thankfully, both are anticipated to be back for their opening game against Central Florida on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Here are some things that need to go right for the Bruins.
No more injuries
Cronin might joke about still having PTSD from injuries in 2023, but he’s likely not entirely joking.
During that year, the Bruins were favored to go far until injuries sidelined forward Jalen Clark and center Adem Bona. Despite this setback, they fought through and made it to the Sweet 16, only to lose to Gonzaga in a heart-wrenching final moment.
Recent reports on injuries have been somewhat positive. Donovan Dent feels recovered from a calf issue, and Cronin mentioned that Tyler Bilodeau should be back at practice soon from a knee sprain.
If the Bruins hope to achieve anything this month, they really can’t afford any more injuries.
“D” doesn’t disappear
Remember their recent outing in Minnesota?
They probably wish they could erase that from memory, especially after allowing the Golden Gophers to hit 12 three-pointers at an alarming 58 percent accuracy.
That can’t happen again.
It looks like UCLA learned from that experience, bouncing back with strong defensive play against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament and stifling their next three opponents, even without two starters.
The bench needs to produce results.
One bright spot has been the late-season emergence of Eric Freeney.
The young guard has brought much-needed defense and rebounding to a team that was lacking in both. He’s also starting to find his scoring touch, which is encouraging after a long drought.
Brandon Williams has shown some grit off the bench as well, but the Bruins will need more players to step up in crucial moments. Xavier Booker needs to focus on rebounding, Jamar Brown should hit several three-pointers, and Stephen Jamerson II must avoid fouls.
Press the correct button
UCLA fans might never fully forgive Cronin for some of his prior NCAA Tournament decisions—like not utilizing Clark, who would later be named the national Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, against North Carolina—but he consistently gets the team to peak at this time of year.
He’s already set the ideal starting lineup, pairing Trent Perry with guards Dent and Skye Clark while moving Bilodeau back into the center position. The key now is to deploy the right players off the bench at the right times.
Freeny seems to improve the more he plays.
Super 2nd graders shine
If there were a Most Valuable Player Award in the Big Ten, Perry would be the standout winner.
He has transformed from a tentative freshman into a game-changer. His growth is evident in Cronin’s efforts to keep him around for next season.
If his impressive play continues over the next few weeks, Cronin will be more than willing to invest in him.
