Mick Cronin, the head coach of UCLA basketball, recently expressed skepticism about speculating on his team’s potential NCAA Tournament placement come March.
He mentioned, rather humorously, that keeping track of bracket predictions—like those from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi—could be a bit overwhelming. He acknowledged Lunardi’s success, remarking, “Good for Joe.”
Lunardi, in turn, responded with a light-hearted comment, suggesting he’d prefer his “hair and Mick’s money.”
According to Lunardi’s latest bracket projections, UCLA is currently a No. 10 seed, set to face North Carolina State in the first round of the Southern Division in Oklahoma City.
This positioning aligns with the forecasts from various analysts. For example, Bracketmatrix.com, which aggregates NCAA Tournament predictions, also has UCLA slated as a No. 10 seed, alongside their rivals at USC. However, the Bruins, historically a powerhouse, generally aim higher than just qualifying for the tournament; they’re used to vying for a top seed. If their performance doesn’t improve, they might risk missing the tournament for the second time in three years.
With a NET ranking of No. 41, UCLA is precariously close to the bubble, particularly given their record of 2-5 in crucial Quad 1 games. They’ll have opportunities to rectify this, starting with significant upcoming games against the University of Michigan and Michigan State.
Luckily for UCLA (16-7, 8-4 Big Ten), the momentum appears to be shifting positively. They enter a game against Washington (12-11, 4-8 Big Ten) at Pauley Pavilion having won four out of their last five matches, the only blemish being a double overtime defeat against Indiana.
It’s clear the road to the NCAA Tournament is growing narrower, with just two games left on the schedule.
There are certainly matches that the Bruins need to secure to enhance their tournament prospects. Conversely, Washington will be eager to secure a win as they’ve faltered recently, losing five of their last seven games and struggling on the road.
Even with standout Hannes Steinbach—who leads the Big Ten in averaging a double-double—Washington hasn’t managed to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
When asked about the team’s current standing, Cronin mentioned a preference for different metrics, emphasizing his focus on player improvement rather than external ranking systems.
He expressed his commitment to player development, sharing that he prioritizes coaching discussions around growth over bracket analysis. “If we center our attention on that, our players will enhance their skills,” Cronin stated. He noted that if he were in the players’ shoes, such development would be his top priority.
