LAS VEGAS – The No. 15 UCLA Bruins will face No. 5 Arizona in a Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinal matchup on Friday, seeking to build momentum as they navigate a changing conference landscape. This contest marks a pivotal moment for UCLA as they aim to solidify their NCAA Tournament resume and potentially make a deep run in the postseason.
UCLA enters the tournament with a 69.7 win percentage in conference play since the 2020-21 season, having gone 69-30 overall. last season,the Bruins finished with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.55, ranking 20th nationally and second in the Big Ten, and improved to 1.81 in their final 15 games. The team’s roster features a blend of returning players and new talent,including four key contributors from last year’s squad: Tyler bilodeau,Skyy Clark,Eric Dailey Jr., and Trent Perry. Evan Manjikian, Jack Seidler, and Brandon Williams are among the players returning from previous seasons, with Manjikian and Seidler having been on the roster in 2022-23.
The Bruins’ 15-man roster is comprised entirely of student-athletes from the United States, with a strong local presence – eight players hail from Southern California, five from Los Angeles County and three from Riverside County, including Donovan Dent, Eric Freeny, and Anthony Peoples Jr., all Corona Centennial High School alumni. UCLA previously faced tough competition in the NCAA Tournament,encountering teams like Purdue,maryland,Michigan,Oregon,and Illinois as potential opponents. last year, the Bruins entered the tournament as a No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region.
