Assessing UCLA Void Left by Tyler Bilodeau and Donovan Dent

Bilodeau was absolutely phenomenal for the Bruins this season. He finished the year averaging 17.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting an impressive 51.8% from the field and an equally impressive 46.3% from the arc.

It was clear from UCLA’s second-round loss in the NCAA Tournament to UConn that Bilodeau was the missing piece. Not many teams can overcome a No. 2 seed in the tournament without their best player. UCLA's loss in that game only reinforced how important Bilodeau was to this team.

The hole Bilodeau leaves is almost insurmountable. He was UCLA’s leading scorer by 4.3 points per game. While this might not seem like a lot, it is very significant. Next season, UCLA will have to rely on Trent Perry or Eric Dailey Jr. to fill in the gaps or look elsewhere in the transfer portal.

The Hole Dent Leaves

In the case of Donovan Dent, he might have been just as impactful, if not more impactful, for the Bruins this season. Not only was he UCLA’s second-leading scorer with 13.3 points per game, but he was also the nation’s fourth-leading playmaker, averaging 7.6 assists per game.

When looking at the numbers, it is clear that Dent was UCLA’s most productive offensive player. With his points and assists combined, he generated an average of 28.2 points per game for the Bruins. Production like this does not grow on trees, which makes UCLA’s future outlook concerning.

However, unlike Bilodeau, there is already an heir to Dent’s throne at point guard. Trent Perry has proven to be both a dynamic scorer and a capable floor general. Even so, it remains unclear how effective Perry will be without Dent next season.

The bottom line is that UCLA will desperately miss Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau. With both players leaving, UCLA will have to rely heavily on the transfer portal to fill these holes. Because of how impactful both players were, that will be much easier said than done.