LOS ANGELES — UCLA coach Mick Cronin spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon before the men’s basketball team headed to LAX airport en route to Las Vegas.
The players walked out the back of the Mo Ostin Center in comfortable clothing, each with a packed bag for the weekend, waving at fans to see them off as they stepped up and into the team bus.
Two UCLA players in particular were being watched with a closer eye: David Singleton and Adem Bona. Singleton, who sprained his right ankle in the final minute of Saturday’s 68-63 second-round win over Northwestern, didn’t seem to have any hindered motion in his stride to the bus. Bona, who’s been dealing with a sore shoulder, didn’t appear to have any support sling of any kind.
Cronin addressed the status of the two starters immediately.
“Everybody is day to day, including me,” was all Cronin said to reporters, two days before his second-seeded Bruins will face third-seeded Gonzaga in the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 at 6:45 p.m. Thursday on CBS.
It will be the fourth time the two teams have faced each other in the national tournament, and the second time in three seasons.
“I knew this was possible on Selection Sunday, that we both could end up in the West (Region),” Cronin said. “We both had to win tough games to get to this point.”
“It’s excitement,” Cronin added. “I want the guys to enjoy every minute of this and be excited to play. I think the people that are anxious got knocked out and they’re waiting to meet with their athletic director.”
RECAP HEADING TO VEGAS
UCLA was in Sacramento last weekend for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, taking down UNC Asheville 86-53 in the opening round before edging Northwestern.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Amari Bailey were the 1-2 punch in each victory. Jaquez scored 17 and 24, respectively, while Bailey poured in 17 and 14, respectively. Kenneth Nwuba started at center against Asheville, notching a career-high 10 points.
Junior Jaylen Clark did not travel with the team to the Pac-12 Conference tournament or to last week’s first weekend of the NCAA tournament after suffering a lower-leg injury in the team’s final game of the season to Arizona. The injury to the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year thrusted David Singleton into a start, and bumped freshman guard Dylan Andrews into more of a sixth man role, which was previously held by Singleton.
Related Articles
Swanson: UCLA survives, earns delectable Sweet 16 date with South Carolina
Charisma Osborne’s big night leads UCLA women past Oklahoma, into Sweet 16
UCLA vs. Gonzaga has history, giving NCAA tournament its best Sweet 16 matchup
UCLA women’s team enters deeper waters against Oklahoma
Game Day: UCLA is only two parts of the college basketball story
Andrews played 18 minutes against Asheville and 15 minutes against Northwestern, including a pivotal 3-pointer late in the second half and two free throws to help ice the game once Singleton left with his ankle injury.
“I’ve seen Dylan shoot thousands of free throws,” Bailey said Saturday night. “To see him go up and hit two, in this environment, I’m not surprised by it all. He just steps up to challenges.”
UCLA (31-5) vs. GONZAGA (30-5)
What: NCAA tournament regional semifinal
When: 6:45 p.m. Thursday
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
TV: CBS