The Bruins are dancing again.
A year removed from its magical NCAA Tournament run from the First Four to the Final Four in 2021, the UCLA men’s basketball team (25-7) is headed back to the big dance as the No. 4 seed in the East region and will take on No. 13 Akron (24-9) at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., Thursday.
UCLA returns every member of last year’s deep run, including this year’s All-Pac 12 Conference First-Team selections Johnny Juzang, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell.
“We hope that experience is going to help us, that’s the key,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said during a live interview on CBS Los Angeles. “Because you’re preparing to play in a one-game-and-out deal all year. I tell the guys in the huddle all the time, we have to stay positive because when March comes, we can’t get our heads down when we start missing shots.”
The placement could be considered favorable due to the Bruins avoiding the top three No. 1 seeds in Gonzaga, Duke and Kansas. Lurking in the Bruins’ region is No. 1 Baylor — the defending national champions — No. 3 Purdue, No. 5 St. Mary’s, and No. 2 Kentucky.
But of course, it’s the Zips of Akron the Bruins need to take care of first.
“The (Middle Atlantic Conference) is a tremendous league with a lot of tough teams. They have veteran guys and it’s never going to be easy. We have a challenge ahead for us,” Cronin said.
Akron beat Kent State 75-55 in the MAC Conference final to earn its NCAA Tournament berth. The Zips have played one notable program this year, and it was their season opener at Ohio State on Nov. 9, losing 67-66.
UCLA will enter the NCAA Tournament winning five of its last six games after falling to Arizona, 84-76, in the Pac-12 Conference Tournament final Saturday night.
Despite the loss, this year’s entrance to the tournament is much different than last year’s, when UCLA dropped four straight before playing its play-in game against Michigan State.
“I feel like we’re very together right now and connected. I think that’s the biggest thing going into the tournament,” Juzang said. “We’re also confident. I think the energy is good.”
It was a halfcourt shot by Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs at the buzzer in last year’s Final Four game that stopped UCLA from advancing to the national title game. Cronin isn’t shy when it comes to talking about winning the NCAA Tournament, which would be the first since 1995.
“Here at UCLA, we’re trying to hang that 12th banner,” Cronin said.
OTHER PAC-12 SCHOOLS SEEDED
Arizona (31-3) received the No. 1 seed in the South Region and will face the No. 16 seed Friday in San Diego, which will be the winner of Wright State and Bryant’s play-in game.
USC (26-7) is the No. 7 seed in the Midwest region and will take on No. 10 Miami (23-10) in Greenville, South Carolina Friday.
More to come on this story.
It’s another opportunity to get another chance at the title. When you come to UCLA, you know