UCLA Basketball’s quest to become the second 11-seed to ever go from the First Four to the Final Four will face another obstacle on Sunday when the Bruins clash with the second-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.
The upstart Bruins earned their way to the Sweet 16 after winning three games in the span of five days, having toppled Michigan State in overtime in the First Four before coasting by BYU and Abilene Christian by double-digits. The three-straight wins snapped a four-game losing streak for UCLA dating back to February 27th and capping off in the Pac-12 Conference Tournament to Oregon State.
UCLA’s win over Abilene Christian in the Round of 32, which yielded a 67-47 result, was fueled by a dominant defensive performance. Holding the Wildcats to their second-lowest scoring output all season, the Bruins shut down a potent offense that ranks in the top 100 in the country in points per game, forcing them to woeful clips of 34.2% (2PT) and 21.1% (3PT) on 0.75 points per possession. Meanwhile, three Bruins reached double-figures, with Johnny Juzang pouring in a game-high 17 points.
The Bruins will now face one of the best teams in the nation in Alabama, the SEC regular-season and tournament champions, and, arguably, the favorites to reach the Final Four from the East region. The Crimson Tide escaped an upset bid by Iona in the opening round before decimating Maryland behind a suffocating three-point barrage. The win over the Terrapins extended Alabama’s dominant winning streak – one that dates back to February 27th – to eight games.
Whereas UCLA’s victory in the Round of 32 was made possible through a stout defense, Alabama’s 96-77 rout of Maryland showcased the Crimson Tide’s overwhelming offensive onslaught. Behind 1.43 points per possession, Alabama posted its highest point total in over a month, draining 16 three-pointers with five players logging double-digits, with Jaden Shackelford (21) and John Petty (20) leading the way.
Now, the two squads will clash on Sunday night with a berth to the Elite Eight on the line. For the Bruins, the Crimson Tide are, arguably, the best team they have faced all season – but their stellar showings in the early goings of the NCAA Tournament indicate that UCLA has what it takes to pull off the upset. They will have to follow through on a few keys to claim victory, however.