UCLA Bruins Miss Out On Opportunity

The UCLA Bruins played the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night, but were unable to come away with a victory that could have greatly strengthened their tournament resume. Now, they will have to win out the rest of the regular season and will probably need to win their conference tournament to secure a bid. Any mistakes at this point will likely cost them their season.

The Bruins hung tough with the Wildcats, utilizing several runs to even take the lead during the second half, but were unable to keep up with their opponent’s depth. Foul trouble plagued the team all night, and the Wildcats were just too much for them down the stretch.

The Bruins only have several statement wins throughout the season, and this could have been their best one. The Wildcats struggled on offense, and it looked as if the Bruins might be able to pull it off. Unfortunately, they now have to move on and try to win their last three games in convincing fashion. All three opponents sit at the bottom of the conference standings, meaning even a win will likely not help much in the overall picture.

The Bruins’ best chance will be to win the Pac-12 tournament so that they can secure an automatic bid. This will be difficult, as it will likely mean that they will have to beat two of the top teams in the country. The fact that the tournament is played in back-to-back-to-back fashion means it will be even tougher for a UCLA team that already struggles with depth. However, if they want their season to continue, then they must catch fire and make it happen.