Men’s Basketball Looks Ahead to Big Ten Tournament in Chicago

CHICAGO – The No. 6-seed Bruins (21-10, 13-7 Big Ten) will compete towards No. 14-seed Rutgers (14-18) on Thursday night in the third spherical of the Big Ten Tournament on the United Center. Rutgers defeated Minnesota, 72-67, in second-round contest Wednesday evening to advance in the event.

 

UCLA has received 4 of its final 5 video games, coming into the Big Ten Tournament, and closed the common season in a tie with Purdue for sixth-place in the league standings. This will mark UCLA’s first sport on the United Center since going through Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic in December of 2018. With a win on Thursday, UCLA would advance to face No. 3-seed Michigan State (25-6) in the quarterfinal spherical on Friday evening.

 

UCLA’s sport on Thursday will start roughly 25 minutes after the conclusion of the prior contest (Purdue vs. Indiana/Northwestern). Each of the Big Ten Tournament video games on Thursday might be televised dwell by Big Ten Network. UCLA’s radio broadcast might be out there on AM 790 (KABC) in the better Los Angeles area.

 

GAME INFORMATION

Venue: United Center (capability: 20,917)

Thursday’s Anticipated Game Time: 6 p.m. PT (8 p.m. CT)

Broadcast Network: Big Ten Network

Broadcast Talent: Kevin Kugler (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (analyst), Andy Katz (sideline)

Radio (UCLA Audio Network): AM 790 (KABC)

Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)

Sirius XM Channels: SiriusXM 84 and on the SiriusXM App

Live Stats: ucla.statbroadcast.com (link here)

 

MOST RECENTLY, AS A TEAM

• The Bruins have received 4 of their final 5 video games heading into this Thursday evening’s contest towards Rutgers. 

• UCLA has received 21 or extra video games for the fifth time in seven seasons below head coach Mick Cronin.

• UCLA tied Purdue for sixth place in the Big Ten, securing the No. 6 seed (by way of tiebreak) in the Big Ten Tournament.

• The Bruins completed the common season with a 13-7 document in Big Ten play for the second consecutive season.

• UCLA has gone 12-0 in Big Ten play over the previous two seasons towards Oregon, Washington and USC.

• The Bruins went 17-1 at house this season whereas compiling a 4-9 document in street and neutral-site video games.

• UCLA has posted a 6-3 document via 9 video games in February and March (4-3 in February, and 2-0 in March).

• Through video games performed Monday evening, UCLA ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten in 3-point proportion (38.2%, behind Purdue).

• Through video games performed Monday evening, the Bruins ranked No. 3 in the Big Ten in 3-point proportion protection (1.2%).

• UCLA’s assist-turnover ratio (1.79-to-1) as a workforce ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten, via Monday, March 9.

 

INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• For the second straight season, Tyler Bilodeau has earned third-team All-Big Ten Conference acclaim.

• Bilodeau has scored in double figures in 26 of 29 video games performed, together with 9 video games with 20 or extra factors.

• Donovan Dent has registered 10 or extra assists in eight video games (and in 5 of the Bruins’ final 10 contests).

• Dent ranked No. 4 in the nation (third in the Big Ten) in assists per sport (7.5) via Tuesday, March 10.

• Through the final 5 video games, Dent has totaled 53 assists and two turnovers, averaging 15.2 ppg in that span.

• Dent has totaled 127 assists and 22 turnovers (5.8-to-1 ratio) via the Bruins’ final 15 video games.

• Through Tuesday, March 10, Tyler Bilodeau led all Big Ten gamers in 3-point proportion (46.2%, 60-for-130).

• Trent Perry has averaged 14.5 factors and shot 44.4 % from the sector in UCLA’s final 15 contests.

• Eric Dailey Jr. (11.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg) has scored 10 or extra factors in 15 of UCLA’s final 20 video games.

• Five Bruins have averaged at the least 11 factors per sport this season, led by senior Tyler Bilodeau (18.0 ppg).

 

CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS

• UCLA has received 4 Pac-12 Tournament titles (in 1987, 2006, 2008 and 2014).

• Under Coach Cronin, the Bruins have gone 5-5 in 5 convention tournaments (2020 event was canceled).

• Last season, Wisconsin defeated the Bruins in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal matchup, 86-70, in Indianapolis.

• UCLA superior to the Pac-12 Tournament’s title sport in 2022 and 2023 (misplaced to Arizona, every season).

 

EYEING THE OPPOSITION

• The Bruins defeated Rutgers, 98-66, inside Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

• UCLA has gone 3-2 in the all-time sequence with Rutgers, together with a 1-1 mark in the final two seasons in Big Ten play.

• The Bruins dropped an 82-59 choice at then-No. 15-ranked Michigan State on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

• UCLA has gone 8-5 in the all-time sequence with Michigan State, together with a 2-2 document below Coach Mick Cronin.

• If UCLA wins this Thursday evening, the Bruins will advance to face No. 3-seed Michigan State on Friday night.

 

THANKS FOR THE ASSIST

• Donovan Dent ranks No. 3 in the convention and No. 4, nationally, with 7.5 assists per sport (via Tuesday).

• Dent tallied 10 or extra assists in three straight video games (Jan. 31-Feb. 7) halfway via Big Ten play.

• Dent’s 15 assists towards Illinois and Minnesota stand one shy of Earl Watson’s document (16, on March 18, 2000).

• Dent at the moment ranks No. 5 (with 225 assists) on UCLA’s single-season assists document record.

• Over UCLA’s final 15 video games, Dent has averaged 14.0 factors, 2.6 rebounds and eight.5 assists per sport.

 

VERSUS RANKED FOES

UCLA has gone 3-5 towards top-25 ranked opponents this season (as ranked in the AP ballot), together with a trio of house victories over top-10 groups. UCLA defeated No. 4 Purdue on Tuesday, Jan. 20, earlier than recording a 95-94 extra time win towards No. 10 Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 21, and logging the 20-point win at house on Tuesday, March 3, over No. 9 Nebraska. This marks the primary season in which the Bruins have tallied three or extra wins at house towards top-10 ranked groups. UCLA’s 72-52 win over No. 9-ranked Nebraska marked the Bruins’ first 20-point win over a top-10 program since taking down No. 10-ranked Arizona in the ultimate house contest of the 2010-11 season (Feb. 26, 2011).

 

TWENTY VICTORIES

The Bruins have received 20 or extra contests in seven of the previous 10 seasons. Stretching again via the many years, UCLA has received 20 or extra video games in 55 seasons (together with 48 occasions in the final 60 years, 1967 via 2026). The Bruins received at the least 20 video games in 17 consecutive seasons from 1966-67 via 1982-83. UCLA had a powerful 205-5 total document throughout a seven-season stretch from 1966-67 via 1972-73.

 

ASSISTS PER GAME

Through 30 video games, senior Donovan Dent has averaged 13.6 factors and seven.5 assists per sport. Dent, a 6-foot-2 guard from Riverside, Calif., may very well be on observe to be a part of a uncommon group of UCLA guards who averaged at the least 10 factors and 6 assists per sport over the course of a full season. In reality, Dent may develop into UCLA’s first participant to common 10 factors and 7 or extra assists in one season since then-freshman Lonzo Ball registered 14.6 factors and seven.6 assists per sport in 2016-17. Ball helped information UCLA to a 31-5 total document that season and a end in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

 

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Tyler Bilodeau entered this week rating No. 10 in scoring in the Big Ten Conference (18.0 ppg).

• Bilodeau has scored in double figures in 26 of 29 video games performed, totaling 20 factors or extra in 9 video games.

• Bilodeau has totaled 967 factors in two seasons at UCLA, averaging 15.6 factors in 62 video games in the Bruins’ uniform.

• Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. have every reached the 1,000 profession level benchmark in the previous three weeks.

• Donovan Dent has totaled 53 assists and simply two turnovers in UCLA’s final 5 video games.

• UCLA has posted a 17-3 document when main at halftime and has gone 18-1 when constructing a lead of 10 or extra factors.

• UCLA ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten amongst all 18 groups, in 3-point proportion via Monday, March 9 (38.2%).

• The Bruins haven’t shot 37.0% or higher (from three) for the reason that 2020-21 season (37.2 % from three, that 12 months).

• The Bruins are at the moment capturing 76.3 % on the free throw stripe, rating seventh in the Big Ten.

• The faculty single-season document for finest free throw proportion is 75.6 %, again in the 1978-79 season.

 

GLANCING AT THE METRICS

UCLA has gone 21-10 total with a 13-7 document in Big Ten play, tying for sixth place with Purdue in the 18-team league standings. Through Tuesday, March 10, the Bruins had registered a document of 9-10 towards Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents, whereas posting an ideal document of 12-0 towards Quad 3 and Quad 4 groups. UCLA has performed seven video games towards groups at the moment ranked among the many prime 12 in faculty basketball’s NET rankings. The Bruins have gone 3-4 towards these packages ranked in the highest 12 in the newest NET rankings (wins over 5-Illinois, 10-Purdue and 12-Nebraska, all at house).

 

LEADING SCORER

Senior ahead Tyler Bilodeau ranked No. 10 in scoring amongst all Big Ten gamers (18.0 ppg) and No. 5 in capturing proportion (51.8%), via Monday, March 9. The 6-foot-9 product from Kennewick, Wash., has scored at the least 15 factors this season in 20 of the Bruins’ 31 video games (he didn’t play in two video games). Through Monday night, he continued to lead the Big Ten in 3-point capturing proportion, having made 60 of 130 long-range makes an attempt (46.2%). Bilodeau has averaged 17.5 factors, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in UCLA’s previous 10 video games, capturing 50.8 % from the sector in that span.

 

SOPHOMORE JUMP

Sophomore Trent Perry scored a career-best 30 factors in UCLA’s 71-60 win at Penn State on Jan. 14. Perry was excellent on the free throw line (12-for-12). Entering this Thursday evening’s sport, he has averaged 12.4 factors and three.0 rebounds per sport (30 contests) whereas capturing 45.2 % from the sector and 41.2 % from 3-point vary. He has scored at the least 10 factors in 19 video games for UCLA, logging 80 assists and 38 turnovers for an assist-turnover ratio of two.1-to-1. Over the Bruins’ final 15 contests, Perry has averaged 14.5 factors and three.5 rebounds (capturing 43.1 % from 3-point vary).

 

RUNNING THE POINT

Senior Donovan Dent has averaged 13.6 factors, 7.5 assists and a couple of.6 rebounds in 30 video games. Dent, a 6-foot-2 guard from close by Riverside, Calif., transferred from New Mexico to UCLA in the offseason. He has recorded seven point-assist double-doubles this season (totaling 14 in his profession). Since assists have been routinely tracked, beginning in 1978-79, Dent has develop into the primary UCLA participant with three consecutive point-assist double-doubles (UCLA’s video games versus Indiana, Rutgers and Washington). He ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten in assists per sport (7.5) and was fourth, nationally, via Tuesday, March 10.

 

NOTES ON PAULEY PAVILION

This marked UCLA’s sixtieth season enjoying inside Pauley Pavilion and the 14th season for the reason that area underwent a serious renovation. The Bruins went 17-1 at house this season and 15-2 final 12 months (32-3 document via two seasons). The first sport in Pauley Pavilion passed off on Dec. 3, 1965, as No. 1-ranked UCLA defeated Ohio State, 92-66. UCLA spent 47 seasons in the historic area earlier than the venue was closed for an 18-month renovation (closed in March of 2011 and below development till November 2012). UCLA hosted 18 house video games in 2011-12 on the Los Angeles Sports Arena (14 video games) close to downtown L.A. and on the Honda Center in Anaheim (4 video games) earlier than returning house in November of 2012.

 

Since taking up as UCLA’s head coach prior to the 2019-20 marketing campaign, Mick Cronin has guided UCLA to a 96-16 house document (logging a win proportion of 85.7 in 112 house contests).

 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON UCLA

• This marks the primary season since 2016-17 (Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton and TJ Leaf) in which UCLA’s workforce has had at the least three gamers with a 30-point contest. The Bruins have 4 gamers this season who’ve scored at the least 30 factors or extra in one sport (Tyler Bilodeau, Skyy Clark, Donovan Dent and Trent Perry). Since at the least 1973-74, this 12 months’s UCLA workforce is the one squad with at the least 4 gamers who’ve scored 30 or extra factors in a sport.

• UCLA has gone 8-1 when capturing at the least 50 %. The season-high 62.7 proportion in a win at house towards Presbyterian was this system’s finest single-game mark since Dec. 10, 2016 (62.7%, 102-84 house win, over Michigan).

• Senior guard Donovan Dent has averaged 7.5 assists per sport in 30 contests this season. Since assists have been routinely recorded at UCLA, beginning in 1973-74, solely three student-athletes have logged at the least 7.0 assists per sport in one season (Pooh Richardson, twice, in addition to Lonzo Ball in 2016-17 and Larry Drew II in 2012-13).

• The Bruins’ 15-man roster this season consists of eight student-athletes who’re from the Southern California area. All 15 student-athletes are from the United States. Looking on the eight native gamers, 5 are from Los Angeles County and three are from Riverside County (Donovan Dent, Eric Freeny and Anthony Peoples Jr. all went to Corona Centennial HS).

• Since the beginning of the 2020-21 season, the Bruins have gone 82-37 in convention play (logging a 68.9 win proportion). UCLA went 13-7 in Big Ten motion final season (T-4th) and 13-7 this season (T-Sixth) in the 18-team league standings.

 

UCLA’S NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Bruins’ program made its 53rd look on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament final March. UCLA has received 11 NCAA championships – most just lately in 1995 – and has superior to 19 Final Fours, most just lately in 2021. The Bruins have totaled 23 appearances on the Elite Eight (Regional Finals) and 38 journeys to the Sweet 16 (Regional Semifinals). UCLA has compiled an all-time event document of 116-46. The Bruins have posted a 56-29 document and have secured 17 journeys to the event’s Sweet 16 for the reason that area expanded to embody 64 groups in 1985. Of be aware with the Bruins’ program, UCLA had six contests in the 1980 NCAA Tournament and one sport in the 1999 NCAA Tournament have been later vacated by NCAA motion. Those contests and NCAA Tournament appearances should not acknowledged by the NCAA. The numbers listed above do embody these contests and event appearances.

 

CONSECUTIVE THREE-POINTERS

UCLA has made at the least one 3-pointer in every of its final 95 video games. The Bruins went 0-for-6 from lengthy vary in a 78-58 win towards Long Island University early in the 2023-24 season in Pauley Pavilion (on Nov. 15, 2023). That sport snapped a streak of 792 consecutive contests with at the least one made 3-pointer by UCLA. That 3-point streak started after the Bruins completed 0-for-14 from 3-point distance in a house loss to No. 2 Stanford (78-63) on Feb. 3, 2000. The Bruins’ single-game 3-point document stands at 19 made 3-pointers (going 19-for-31) in an 104-89 win at Colorado on Jan. 12, 2017.