UCLA Players Explain Recent Turnaround Ahead of NCAA Tournament

Despite a wonky, up-and-down season that has also been riddled with injuries to key players, the Bruins did enough to earn themselves a favorable seed in the tournament, and can’t be counted out as a potentially dangerous team. 

Ahead of their first game against UCF , guard Skyy Clark commented on the team’s recent turnaround.

Clark’s Thoughts 

• “I think something just finally clicked to where we all bought in,” Clark said. “I think that Nebraska game was huge for us. We saw what we could really do if we really just played hard and played that Mick Cronin style of basketball, and I guess we just carried that onto the court.”

• “I think our team is ready,” guard Eric Dailey added. "We have prepared all season and we've played in tough games and we've won a lot of top-ranked games and that builds confidence for a team like us."

• "Just going to the tournament, taking one game at a time, and focusing on one possession at a time. There's really no pressure on us at all. Just go out there and play with a lot of fight and a lot of grit and we'll be all right.”

Donovan Dent Key to Success

Donovan Dent will play a major role in the tournament, health pending. Dent — who suffered a minor injury during the Big Ten Tournament — enters the Big Dance on a heater. In his last eight games, Dent has dished out 78 assists and turned the ball over just six times.

Dent has surpassed 15 or more assists in a game twice over that span, and also recorded the only triple-double in the history of the Big Ten Tournament with his performance against Rutgers. 

The Bruins have the capabilities to make it to the second weekend of the tournament, but they’ll need to continue their hot stretch of play and not lose focus against a solid UCF team if they are to advance. The Knights will pose a threat as a battle-tested club out of the Big 12.