Year one in the Big Ten was a successful effort for UCLA, bouncing back from a dreadful finish in the Pac-12 the year prior. After Mick Cronin’s squad finished under .500, a bevy of offseason additions helped push the Bruins to 23 wins and a return to the NCAA Tournament, while putting up a 13-7 mark in their Big Ten debut. This was a great effort, but this program recently had three great years in a row and is still below that mark.
The big news for UCLA was the addition of Tyler Bilodeau, who transferred from Oregon State last season and became a major factor for the Bruins. He not only assumed a starting position in the frontcourt but became the team’s leading scorer, and now he’ll be back for his senior season. He’s got a year under his belt in Cronin’s system and he’s far from the only returner, with Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey both returning after great contributions last season.
Cronin’s staff was far from satisfied, especially with outgoing players from graduation or the portal, and they added five names in this transfer class. Former Michigan center Xavier Booker will certainly stand out and should make his mark in the paint in some capacity. Steven Jamerson is a former San Diego big man who adds depth to the frontcourt while Jamar Brown is a solid shooter from Kansas City looking to replicate that success in the Big Ten.
However, 6-2 point guard Donovan Dent is clearly the most important offseason addition for the Bruins, and his enrollment is a major victory for Cronin and his staff. Dent just spent his first three collegiate seasons over at New Mexico and is fresh off a game-changing junior year. He averaged 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game with solid shooting numbers while leading the Lobos to a first-round win the NCAA Tournament. Dent also collected Mountain West Player of the Year honors while finishing Top 10 in the conference in assists, steals, and blocks.
There was a lot of good from Dent with the Lobos in recent years and his hard work really came to a peak on a very talented New Mexico squad. Dent finds a new home and should settle into a major role in leading this UCLA offense and defense. There’s surely an adjustment to a new league and surroundings, but Dent can be a major bucket getter and facilitator even in the Big Ten.
What we expect from UCLA should be clear: this team can be even better than last season and could be competing near the top of the league standings. The combination of Dent and Bilodeau is already a great backbone, and then you’ve got other pieces filling starring roles like Clark, Brown, and Dailey. If any of them take that step forward than the Bruins could be quite a force. Either way, the team will need Dent’s leadership if they’re going to make another deep run into March and if he can lead New Mexico he can certainly be a leader in Westwood.