Men's Basketball Practices in Lexington, Prior to NCAA Tournament
March 19, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LEXINGTON, Ky. โ The No. 7-seed UCLA men's basketball team spent its first full day in Lexington on Wednesday, as preparations were underway for the start of this season's NCAA Tournament with four games scheduled to take place at Rupp Arena on Thursday.
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The Bruins have returned to Lexington for the first time since the 2016-17 season, when UCLA defeated No. 1-ranked Kentucky, 97-92, at the Wildcats' Rupp Arena on Dec. 3, 2016. UCLA had entered that game with a perfect 8-0 record, ranked No. 11 in that week's AP poll.
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This season, a first-round matchup against No. 10-seed Utah State awaits the Bruins on Thursday night. Game time is 6:25 p.m. PT (9:25 p.m. ET, locally in Kentucky). The Bruins' matchup against Utah State will be nationally televised on TNT, with Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce on the call. UCLA's game will take place following a first-round matchup between No. 2-seed Tennessee and No. 15-seed Wofford.
Wednesday's Press Conference: Coach Cronin | K. Johnson, E. Dailey Jr., and S. Clark ย
"Our tournament is crazy, it's one and out, neutral sites, but they might not be neutral, depending on who you're playing," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "Injuries happen, officiating happens and luck happens. You saw the last play of that game last night, right, with Alabama State? So, our tournament is crazy. There are so many great coaches that haven't been to a Final Four or won a title. It's unbelievable, it really is."
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After an hour-long workout at a nearby basketball facility, the Bruins headed to Rupp Arena for their afternoon press conference and an open practice. Senior Kobe Johnson, junior Skyy Clark and sophomore Eric Dailey Jr. answered questions during the press conference, prior to Coach Cronin's remarks.
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"On a smaller thing, everything matters," Coach Cronin said. "An out-of-bounds play, whether it's offense or defense, could decide whether you go home or not or you move on. The details that I try to be so demanding on with these guys during the season, there is a reason. It's all for this moment, to try to advance and win this tournament. That's just the way we operate. We talked about it again today as you're going over a special situation and how important one detail and one play can be."
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UCLA has entered the NCAA Tournament with a 22-10 overall record, securing a fourth-place tie in the Big Ten Conference standings. The Bruins went 13-7 in league play, tied with Purdue and Wisconsin. Last week, UCLA lost to Wisconsin, 86-70, in a quarterfinal matchup at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Following a four-game losing streak in early January, UCLA closed its schedule with 11 wins in the final 15 games.
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The Bruins' game this Thursday at Rupp Arena will be broadcast on AM 570 radio in the greater Los Angeles area, with UCLA broadcasters Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray calling the action. Fans can also tune to Westwood One radio's affiliates for the national broadcast, as John Sadak and LaPhonso Ellis will be courtside at Rupp Arena with the call.
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The Bruins have returned to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in the past 13 seasons. In 2022 and 2023, UCLA advanced to the tournament's "Sweet 16" after having secured a Final Four appearance in 2021. Coach Cronin has guided the Bruins to the NCAA Tournament in four of the past five seasons (there was no tournament in March of 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic).
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The winner of Thursday's game between UCLA and Utah State will take on either No. 2-seed Tennessee or No. 15-seed Wofford on Saturday at Rupp Arena.
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