PORTLAND, Ore. — UCLA has been to the NCAA Tournament before.

But have these players really been a part of traditional March Madness?

This year’s tournament is normal – which is different – for the Bruins.

It was just last year when UCLA made its deepest postseason run since 2006 and advanced from the First Four to the Final Four. The basketball was unforgettable, but the experience was tainted.

The experience is what junior Jaime Jaquez Jr. feels is the biggest difference this year, even though they haven’t played a tournament game yet.

“I think we’re all excited that there are going to be fans here. We’re in a way different environment. We’re here in the city of Portland. We’re not all condensed in one place,” Jaquez explained, comparing it to last year’s Indianapolis bubble-esque Final Four. “It’s a little more exciting now. This is what March Madness is all about. We’re not confined to the gym and the hotel. We can go out, see people, do things like this.”

Jaquez, along with Tyger Campbell, Johnny Juzang, Jules Bernard, and Cody Riley – the five players who started in last year’s national semifinal against Gonzaga – will all play when the fourth-seeded Bruins (25-7) meet 13th-seeded Akron (24-9) in a first-round game on Thursday (6:50 p.m. PT, TBS) night at the Moda Center.

5 things to know about UCLA’s NCAA Tournament matchup with Akron

Jaquez and Juzang answered questions from the media on Wednesday, then Coach Mick Cronin came out and fielded his share. As traditional as that sounds, it didn’t exist last season. Everything was done virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Obviously, it’s a different experience for our guys,” Cronin said. “We don’t have anybody on our team that played in the NCAA Tournament with the public practice, seeing (the media) in person. This is all new to them. We were in the bubble last year, so that was all they know. They’ve been asking me questions the last couple of days about all this, you know, what’s all this type of stuff.”

Cronin continued: “So you realize, for me, try to not take it for granted. Because I realize I wasn’t even thinking about, it’s back to normal, but guys are wide-eyed to be able to experience this.”

Jules Bernard taking some free throws in the team’s shoot around. Focused. pic.twitter.com/5CCpnQBEqi

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) March 16, 2022

If Cronin goes with the same lineup he did against Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament title game on Saturday, the only difference from the Final Four game a year ago would be Myles Johnson instead of Riley. David Singleton, Jaylen Clark and Jake Kyman played key minutes during last year’s tournament run, too. This year’s team is without Mac Etienne but has the utility of do-it-all freshman Peyton Watson at its disposal.

All eyes are on UCLA this March. That also provides a different experience compared to last year.

“This year we’re definitely in a different position. Coming in as an 11 seed last year, a four seed this year, the roles are switched a little bit. But staying with the same mindset, that helped us a lot last year,” Juzang said. “… You just have to go out there and play with passion and fire, just like when you’re trying to upset a team. So, coming from the same mind frame is big and playing with the same fire, not worried about anything else, but just competing.”

Johnny Juzang getting his casual pull-up jumper feels going in shoot around. @CoachMarshJ knows about it, specifically, “casual 2on2” pic.twitter.com/ePXLudmbze

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) March 16, 2022

CRONIN’S THOUGHTS ON AKRON

Akron comes into the game on an eight-game winning streak, which ironically started after previous starter Bryan Timble Jr. was put on a “leave of absence,” according to reports.

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“They’re a rock-solid team,” Cronin said of the Zips. “Obviously they’re not as big as some Pac-12 teams, but I only look at who they are now. They went through some attrition. And since they had (Trimble) off their team, for whatever reason, they’re 8-0.”

Cronin praised Ali Ali, the Zips’ go-to playmaker averaging over 14 points per game.

“You don’t see a lot of guys on film who can create their own shot and make it, in college basketball,” Cronin said. “Post guys need an angle to score. Shooters need to be freed up to make a shot. He doesn’t need any of that. He makes some Kevin Durant shots.”

NO. 13 AKRON (24-9) VS. NO. 4 UCLA (25-7)

What: NCAA Tournament, first round

Where: Moda Center, Portland, Ore.

When: Thursday, 6:50 p.m.

TV/radio: TBS / 570 AM