The UCLA men’s basketball team lost to the University of Connecticut, 73-57, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22. The game took place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and ended UCLA’s season with a final record of 24 wins and 12 losses.
This result marks the conclusion of UCLA’s campaign after advancing to the tournament’s second round for the fifth time under head coach Mick Cronin. The Bruins had previously secured a victory over UCF to reach this stage.
Four players from UCLA scored in double figures during Sunday’s contest. Xavier Booker led with 13 points and five rebounds, followed by Eric Dailey Jr. with 12 points and Skyy Clark with 11 points. Donovan Dent achieved his tenth double-double of the season, contributing 11 points and a team-high ten assists while committing only two turnovers.
“Congrats to UConn,” said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach. “They were better tonight. Our guys gave the effort. Can’t score, can’t win. That’s a lot of their defense. You got to give them credit, and they get to play next week, and we get to go home.” Alex Karaban led all scorers for UConn with 27 points while Braylon Mullins added another 17 for the Huskies.
The game saw several momentum shifts as both teams traded scoring runs throughout each half. Despite narrowing UConn’s lead late in the second half following an eight-point run by UCLA that cut their deficit to four points, UConn responded strongly by closing out on a decisive scoring stretch that sealed their victory.
UCLA finishes its season having made its fifty-fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
