Bruins Ready to Prove Themselves in NCAA Tournament

The Bruins enter the tournament with a belief that they can beat anyone. 

“We know we're a team that can beat anybody,” Clark said. “If we come dialed in, we know we can definitely put together some win streaks.”

UCLA knows that nothing will come easy in March. To win, they have to be the tougher team not just physically, but mentally.

“It definitely has to be physical. You have got to be the toughest team,” Clark said. “You have got to play really smart. You know, can't have dumb turnovers or anything like that. You have to execute on offense. Your defense has to be top-notch. … These are the best of the best. So, you got to come in sharp.”

A cross-country trip for the first round could be a challenge, but after a season of Big Ten travel, UCLA isn’t making excuses.

“It's something that we're used to with the Big Ten schedule,” Clark said. “We've been traveling across the country all year pretty much. We usually come out a little slow in the first game, so we know that that's one thing that we cannot do, especially right now.”

While many of his teammates are stepping into their first March Madness, Johnson has been here before.

“I don't really have that much experience winning in the NCAA Tournament,” he said. “But definitely getting in there. But, I mean, just the environment of being in, you know, that type of atmosphere is different.”

Johnson understands that the margins are razor-thin in March.

“Every team is going to come out with their best game,” he explained. “The little details matter in those types of games. So we have got to be locked in every single play, every single game, and we’ve got to play a full 40 minutes. That's what it's going to take.”

For the Bruins, this moment isn’t just about basketball. It’s about the dream they’ve had since they were kids. When asked if they ever imagined themselves in a moment like this -- hitting the game-winning shot, making a deep tournament run -- the entire team answered without hesitation.

“24/7,” Johnson said.

“Yeah, all the time," Clark said.

"Always, yeah,” Bilodeau said.

Now, the childhood dreams are real. The buzzer-beaters, the madness, it’s all ahead of them. And for the Bruins, the time to prove themselves starts Thursday.

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