LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 26: UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin looks on during the college basketball game between the UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans on January 26, 2023 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin wasn't a fan of his team's placement in the NCAA tournament bracket preview released on Saturday, which had the Bruins as the No. 8 overall team.
"If you ask my one-word answer on that ranking — comical," Cronin said Saturday, per Beth Harris of the Associated Press. "I'm going to try not to laugh."
The veteran coach believes the ranking was payback for UCLA and USC leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, a move that will take place in 2024.
"When we left the Pac-12, it cost a lot of people millions of dollars and there was going to be fallout, and I think it's a direct result," he said. "I had nothing to do with us leaving the league, but you deal with the fallout being a lame duck."
UCLA entered last week as the No. 4 team in the Associated Press poll and should move up after two more wins this week. The Bruins are 23-4 on the season, putting them fourth in the NET Rankings with zero losses outside of Quad 1.
The resume should certainly put the Bruins in contention for a No. 1 seed, but the Committee currently believes the team is barely a No. 2.
The Committee does feature Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke, a Pac-12 rival who likely isn't happy about UCLA leaving the conference. However, it might be a leap for the entire group of representatives to have a slight against the Bruins.
Conference realignment has become a major storyline in college sports, with Texas and Oklahoma notably set to leave the Big 12 for the SEC. Texas was below UCLA in last week's rankings, sitting at No. 6.
Cronin still better hope there are no biases when the real bracket is announced on March 12.
Former UCLA, Olympic Women's Basketball Coach Billie Moore Dies at Age 79
Dec 15, 2022
Billie Moore, Head Coach for the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Pac-10 Conference college basketball game against the Washington State Cougars on 3rd March 1991 at the Pauley Pavilion, Westwood, California, United States. (Photo by Gary Newkirk/Allsport/Getty Images)
Former UCLA, Cal State Fullerton and Team USA women's basketball coach Billie Moore died Wednesday at the age of 79.
According to ESPN's M.A. Voepel, Moore had been in hospice care at her California home because of cancer.
After playing basketball and softball in her youth, Moore's first big break in coaching came at Southern Illinois University where she served as an assistant women's basketball coach before becoming the head women's basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton in 1969.
Moore led Cal State Fullerton to a national championship in her first season there and went on to the Final Four of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) tournament in 1972 and 1975 as well.
Her success at Cal State Fullerton led to Moore being named the head coach of the United States women's basketball team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
In the debut of women's basketball at the Olympics, the Americans won a silver medal, losing 112-77 to the Soviet Union in the gold medal game.
The Olympic run catapulted Moore to the head coaching job for the women's basketball team at UCLA, and she once again experienced instant success, as the Bruins won the AIAW championship in her first season in 1977-78.
The AIAW tournament was the precursor to the NCAA women's basketball tournament, which became the preeminent tournament in women's college basketball in 1982.
With titles at Cal State Fullerton and UCLA, Moore became the first coach to lead two different schools to national championships in the history of major women's college basketball.
Moore also took UCLA to the Final Four in 1979 and had five more tourney appearances during her time at the school. Moore coached at UCLA from 1977 to 1993 and posted a 296-181 record, making her the winningest head coach in the history of UCLA women's basketball.
When adding in her time at Cal State Fullerton, Moore compiled a record of 436-196 as a college head coach.
Moore was recognized for her massive accomplishments in women's basketball in 1999 when she was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
UCLA Legend Bill Walton Hopes School's Move to Big Ten from Pac-12 Is 'Rescinded'
Nov 1, 2022
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 10: Bill Walton arrives on the red carpet during the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Symphony Hall on September 10, 2022 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Basketball Hall of Famer, UCLA legend and ESPN color commentator Bill Walton hopes his alma mater's impending move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten in 2024 will be "rescinded."
Longtime Oregon sports columnist and commentator John Canzano reached out to Walton on the matter, and he responded four months later with a written statement expressing his strong feelings.
Of note, Walton said that the move will have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of UCLA student-athletes, citing the "exponential increase" in travel to face Big Ten teams.
USC will join UCLA in the Big Ten, making Nebraska their closest conference rival otherwise at roughly 1,500 miles away.
The Big Ten conference stretches as far west as Nebraska and as far east as Rutgers in New Jersey.
Walton also noted the negative impact on travel for family, friends, fans and alumni.
In addition, the 69-year-old said that the move would run counter to UCLA and the UC system's "professed environmental sustainability goals" and that it would also have a negative impact on a fellow UC school and Pac-12 team in Berkeley.
He also said that "increased costs of joining the Big Ten" would "negate the projected increased revenue assumptions of this proposed move."
Walton also cited the rest of the teams and student-athletes (outside football), wondering how many of them were "represented and willing participants in this proposed deal."
"This proposed move to the Big Ten, is all about football, and money," Walton wrote.
"What about all the other 24 sports and 600-plus student-athletes at UCLA, who are responsible for 99-plus percent of UCLA's national championships?"
The California native starred at UCLA from 1971-74, winning three straight National Player of the Year awards and two national titles under legendary head coach John Wooden. The 1971-72 and 1972-73 teams both went 30-0.
Former UCLA Basketball Player Jalen Hill Dies at Age 22
Sep 21, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 15: UCLA Bruins forward Jalen Hill (24) walks back up the court during the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the UCLA Bruins on January 15, 2020, at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Former UCLA forward Jalen Hill has died at the age of 22.
Josh Giles, Hill's former head coach at Corona Centennial High, confirmed the news to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.
According to Bolch, Hill's family wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday that he died after going missing in Costa Rica.
"We know Jalen has played a part in the lives of so many people," the family's Instagram post said. "We also acknowledge the role that so many of you have played in his. As we try to navigate this devastating time in our lives, we ask that you please give us time to grieve. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers."
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin provided a statement to Bolch: "The news of Jalen Hill’s passing is heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. Jalen was a warm-hearted young man with a great smile who has left us far too soon."
Hill was a 247Sports 4-star prospect coming out of Corona Centennial High School in 2017. He committed to UCLA in 2015, two years before graduating high school.
The California native only appeared in 14 games as a redshirt junior in 2020-21. He left the program midway through the season.
In a video message posted on Instagram in April 2021 (h/t USA Today's Steve Gardner), Hill revealed he stopped playing basketball due to "a bunch of anxiety and depression problems" and feeling pressure "trying to live up to somebody’s perception of how my life should be instead of just being who I am."
According to Bolch, Hill recently said he "adopted measures to help his mental state such as meditation and being open about his troubles with family and friends."
After not playing in his first season with the Bruins, Hill played a key role primarily off the bench in 2018-19. He averaged 4.3 points and ranked second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game in 30 appearances.
Hill started a career-high 25 games during the 2019-20 campaign. He led the Bruins in rebounding (6.9 per game) and ranked second in scoring (9.0).
Peyton Watson Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Nuggets Roster
Jun 24, 2022
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 17: Peyton Watson #23 of the UCLA Bruins looks to pass against the UCLA Bruins in the first round game of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 17, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
UCLA's Peyton Watson is off the board as the Denver Nuggets selected the guard with the 30th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report
Player: Peyton Watson
Position: SF
Height: 6'7"
Pro Comparison: Moe Harkless
Scouting Report: Watson was too raw to earn consistent playing time behind UCLA's veterans, but he's been on the NBA radar for years based on his positional tools and the versatility to slash, pass and defend
While Watson isn't as highly regarded as players like Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero, he should still be a solid depth piece for the Nuggets.
The freshman averaged 3.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 steals in 12.7 minutes per game for the UCLA Bruins during the 2021-22 season. He shot 32.2 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from beyond the arc, but he's been sought-after by NBA teams for his length, size and athleticism.
Caleb Love, No. 8 UNC Beat No. 4 UCLA, Will Face Saint Peter's in Elite Eight
Mar 26, 2022
North Carolina's Caleb Love reacts during the second half of a college basketball game against UCLA in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The No. 8 seed UNC men's basketball team is heading to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017 after beating the No. 4 seed UCLA Bruins 73-66 on Friday at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center.
UNC guard Caleb Love scored a game-high 30 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that put the Tar Heels up 67-64 with 1:06 remaining.
Tar Heels big man Armando Bacot contributed a 14-point, 15-rebound double-double, and his tip-in with 22 seconds left gave North Carolina a 69-64 edge.
UCLA guard Jules Bernard scored 16 points to lead four UCLA Bruins who scored in double digits.
UNC improved to 27-9. UCLA, which made the Final Four last year, ended its season at 27-8.
Notable Performances
UNC G Caleb Love: 30 points, 4 assists
UNC F Armando Bacot: 14 points, 15 rebounds
UNC F Brady Manek: 13 points, 8 rebounds
UCLA G Jules Bernard: 16 points, 5 rebounds
UCLA G Tyger Campbell: 15 points, 6 assists
UCLA G Johnny Juzang: 14 points, 4 rebounds
Led By Love, UNC Hits Massive Shots Down Stretch for Win
The premise for this game is simple: UNC hit the big shots when it needed to the most, and UCLA could not respond.
Love carried UNC to the win with his own Herculean efforts as he scored 27 of his 30 points in the second half and hit six three-pointers overall:
Caleb Love scored 20 of UNC's final 29 pts and 27 of the team's 45 in the 2nd half 💙 pic.twitter.com/ljh3mqAtVG
Love needed a little help from Bacot to be the hero yet again. After a miss, Bacot saved the ball, which found its way back to Friday's star for another cold-blooded three-point attempt. This one went in, and the score was tied at 64.
Now Love and the Tar Heels are back in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2017. They'll certainly hope to repeat that run, which ended with the school's sixth men's hoops national title.
Cold Shooting, Poor Rebounding Doom Bruins
UCLA was in good shape midway through the second half after Bernard made a layup with 9:27 left to put the Bruins up 56-51.
Of course, this game was far from over, but UCLA found itself in the driver's seat with a chance to head back to the Final Four.
Instead, the Bruins are going home early.
The Bruins only scored 10 points for the remainder of the game. They made just 5-of-16 field goals and missed all four of their three-pointers.
They were largely a one-man show in the end, as Tyger Campbell scored six of those points and assisted on another bucket.
Bernard hit the only other shot during that stretch on a putback off a Johnny Juzang miss.
Rebounding hurt the Bruins, who lost the board battle 43-34.
North Carolina ends the game on a 10-2 run.
Incredible effort by Caleb Love.
UCLA's inability to rebound in the second half gave the Tar Heels multiple second possessions. https://t.co/KPFLakuR9W
Bacot had four offensive rebounds in the final 5:25 alone. Three of those boards led to points: a pair of Bacot free throws to cut the UCLA lead to 58-56, Love's three to tie the game at 64 and a tip-in for the 69-64 advantage.
Campbell's layup cut the lead to 69-66, but UNC iced the game with free throws, setting up an improbable No. 8 vs. No. 15 seed Elite Eight matchup.
What's Next?
UNC will face No. 15 seed Saint Peter's, which defeated No. 3 seed Purdue 67-64 earlier in the evening. The Peacocks are the lowest seed to ever make the Elite Eight.
The game is scheduled for Sunday after the conclusion of the Elite Eight matchup between Kansas and Miami, which starts at 2:20 p.m. ET.
No. 4 UCLA Beats No. 5 Saint Mary's, Will Face UNC in Men's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Mar 20, 2022
UCLA guard guard Johnny Juzang (3) shoots above St. Mary's guard Tommy Kuhse (12) during the first half of a second-round NCAA college basketball tournament game, Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
No. 4 UCLA is on to the men's Sweet 16 for the second year in a row after a 72-56 win over No. 5 Saint Mary's.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 15 points before coming out because of an ankle injury, while the entire offense remained efficient with a 56.5 shooting percentage in Saturday's second-round matchup at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. UCLA led by seven at halftime and never trailed in the second half on the way to a convincing win.
After reaching the Final Four a year ago, the Bruins are in good shape for a return with each of the top two seeds already eliminated in the East Region.
UCLA will try to keep it going against North Carolina, the East Region's No. 8 seed that upset No. 1 Baylor on Saturday.
Saint Mary's was seeking its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2010, but the impressive season has come to an end despite 18 points from Logan Johnson.
Balanced Offensive Attack Helps UCLA Survive and Advance
Jaime Jaquez entered Saturday as one of the hottest players in the country, averaging 22 points over his last six games. The forward kept it up with a dominant opening half, scoring 15 before intermission to keep the Bruins in front.
The preseason All-American was a major reason the Bruins reached the Final Four last year, averaging 22.8 points across six NCAA tournament games. Juzang looked off as of late, however, scoring just nine points in Round 1 before a quiet start in Round 2.
He finally found his stroke in the second half, finishing with a respectable 14 points in the win.
The depth became even more important when Jaquez suffered an ankle injury late in the second half.
Jaquez's health becomes a major story going forward for UCLA, but the remaining players were enough to win this round. They will be even more important in later rounds as Juzang, Bernard and Tyger Campbell try to pick up the slack.
Saint Mary's Unable to Solve Bruins Defense
Saint Mary's appeared confident out of the gates with a 20-13 lead about 10 minutes into the game, but the team learned scoring would not be easy against the Pac-12 squad.
The Bruins flexed their defensive muscle to go up 36-29 by halftime.
Outside shooting was a saving grace early for the Gaels, but the shots stopped falling on the way to finishing 7-of-21 from three-point range.
The Gaels passed the ball well yet still found few easy looks at the net and finished with their lowest scoring output since a January loss to BYU.
UCLA especially picked up the intensity down the stretch, pulling away after Saint Mary's cut the margin to seven. It was enough to earn an impressive win over a quality opponent.
That was a Mick Cronin UCLA team performance tonight. Excellent defense effort and hustle. Efficient 2 pt offense and limiting turnovers. W/Baylor and Kentucky out of the region, anything less than a final four is a failure imo.
Saint Mary's pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season when it beat Gonzaga, but it hadn't seen many opponents with the size and athleticism of UCLA. This was the difference as the Gaels saw their season come to an end.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 11: Bennedict Mathurin #0 and Dalen Terry #4 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrate on the court after the team's 82-72 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes during the Pac-12 Conference basketball tournament semifinals at T-Mobile Arena on March 11, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The No. 1 Arizona Wildcats defeated the No. 2 UCLA Bruins 84-76 in the men's Pac-12 Championship Game on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for their first conference title since 2018, when Deandre Ayton was named tournament MVP.
Arizona now has eight wins in the Pac-12 title game, the most of any school in the conference. The Oregon Ducks have the second-most titles, and they're still well behind the Wildcats with five championships.
Before Saturday, Arizona and UCLA hadn't met in the Pac-12 Championship Game since 2014, which the Bruins won 75-71. The Wildcats reached the 2022 conference title game with wins over No. 9 Stanford and No. 4 Colorado.
Arizona entered halftime of Saturday's contest down 40-35, but the team came out with fire in the second half for the come from behind victory. Sophomore guard Bennedict Mathurin had one of his best games of the season against UCLA, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
The Naismith Men's College Player of the Year semifinalist finished with 27 points, four rebounds and seven assists to power the Wildcats to victory. He earned the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament award for his efforts.
🗣️ And One!@BennMathurin has a team-high eight after this three-point play
However, Mathurin couldn't have done it without the help of several other players, including Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Christian Koloko, who finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, one steal and three blocks.
It was an incredibly well-rounded performance from the Wildcats and arguably their best of the tournament. Even though the Bruins had four of their starters finish with at least 14 points, it wasn't enough to combat Arizona's depth.
Senior guard Jules Bernard paced the Bruins with 19 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal, while junior guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, one assist and two steals.
While the Bruins are still going to the NCAA tournament, the Wildcats are going to be a No. 1 seed in the tournament for the first time since 2014. They'll await their destination on Selection Sunday.
No. 3 UCLA Upset in Triple OT by Unranked Arizona State in Pac-12 Action
Feb 6, 2022
UCLA forward Cody Riley (2) is defended by Arizona State guard DJ Horne (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The No. 3 UCLA Bruins were upset by the unranked Arizona State Sun Devils 87-84 in triple overtime on Saturday at Desert Financial Arena for just their fourth loss of the season.
However, Saturday's loss was the second straight for UCLA after falling to the No. 7 Arizona Wildcats 76-66 on Thursday. The Bruins have also lost to the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Oregon Ducks this season.
The Bruins needed to avoid a loss in Saturday's game against the Sun Devils to avoid falling further away from winning the regular-season conference championship. The Wildcats are first in conference play at 9-1, while the Bruins are tied for second with the Ducks at 8-3.
While junior guards Jaime Jaquez Jr., Johnny Juzang and Tyger Campbell had solid performances for the Bruins, senior forward Cody Riley put up 10 points, and senior guard Jules Bernard put up just six points against the Sun Devils.
And while the Sun Devils are typically paced by Illinois State transfer DJ Horne, Marreon Jackson was the hero for the team on Saturday night. The senior finished with a whopping 24 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals off the bench.
Junior forward Jalen Graham also had a solid night for Arizona State, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Arizona State had entered Saturday's game having lost their last four games, while UCLA had won eight of their last 10.
As for what's next, UCLA will trip to snap its two-game skid on Tuesday when the Bruins travel to face Stanford. Arizona State, meanwhile, will look to upset another ranked opponent in the Arizona Wildcats on Sunday.
UCLA Basketball Player Arrested for Allegedly Spitting at Arizona Fans After Loss
Feb 4, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 25: Mac Etienne #12 of the UCLA Bruins passes the ball as the team warms up before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on January 25, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
UCLA forward Mac Etienne was arrested on an assault charge after allegedly spitting at Arizona fans following the Bruins' 76-66 loss Thursday.
University of Arizona Police public information officer Sgt. Sean Shields told Myron Medcalf of ESPN that Etienne was given a citation for assault with "the intent to injure, provoke or insult" but was not handcuffed.
"We allowed him to go with the team back to the locker room," Shields said. "And he was arrested for assault."
An official police report will be released Friday.
"UCLA Athletics is committed to and expects the highest level of sportsmanship," UCLA said in a statement. "We are aware of the incident involving a student-athlete at tonight's men's basketball game, and the matter is under review."
Etienne is a redshirt freshman who has missed the entire season with a knee injury. It's possible Etienne will have to travel back to Arizona for a court appearance, though Shields said he could be able to handle the situation from California.
