Mick Cronin raised a plastic cup filled with an energy drink at the podium after Friday night’s win and smiled. The UCLA coach couldn’t resist the moment.
With a nod to the viral image of St. John’s coach Rick Pitino celebrating a conference tournament title with a postgame beer, Cronin offered his own lighter version of celebration — an energy drink toast after seventh-seeded UCLA survived a gritty challenge from 10th-seeded UCF, 75–71, in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship East Region.
Behind 20 points from Eric Dailey Jr. and a steady all-around effort from Xavier Booker — who added 15 points and eight rebounds — the Bruins (24–11) advanced to the second round for the second straight tournament despite playing without leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau. Next up: a marquee matchup Sunday against No. 2 seed UConn.
UCLA entered the tournament short-handed but composed. Bilodeau, who averages 17.6 points per game and earned All-Big Ten third-team honors, was sidelined with a sprained knee suffered in last week’s Big Ten Tournament game against Michigan State. Though he practiced the day before the matchup, Cronin said stiffness in the knee led to the decision to hold him out as a precaution.
Even without him, the Bruins showed balance and resilience. Donovan Dent battled through a calf injury to contribute 10 points, while Trent Perry sparked a decisive second-half stretch with back-to-back layups during a 12–1 UCLA run that helped create separation when the Knights were threatening to take control.
Cronin credited his team’s response after the Big Ten Tournament semifinal loss and a quiet Selection Sunday.
UCF (21–12) never went away. Jordan Burks delivered one of the standout individual performances of the first round, pouring in 22 points and knocking down six 3-pointers. His shooting repeatedly brought the Knights back into contention.
Back-to-back threes during the second half cut UCLA’s lead to just three and ignited loud “UCF!” chants from sections of the crowd that leaned heavily toward the Knights.
Later, Burks buried another triple with 10 seconds remaining to trim the deficit to 72–69, briefly putting pressure on the Bruins in the closing seconds.
But UCLA answered from the free-throw line and closed the game out with composure, securing its seventh win in the past nine games.
The first half included one of the tournament’s more unusual plays. UCF’s 7-foot-2 center John Bol attempted to secure a defensive rebound when the ball popped straight out of his hands and dropped into the basket — accidentally scoring for UCLA.
The blooper bucket gave the Bruins a 35–31 lead and drew surprised reactions from both benches.
In a close game decided by four points, it proved to be a memorable — if unfortunate — moment for the Knights.
Perhaps the toughest sequence of the night belonged to UCLA guard Skyy Clark. Late in the game, Clark dove for a loose ball and appeared to take an elbow to the face, sending one of his teeth flying across the floor. UCLA staff scrambled to locate it before walk-on Jack Seidler finally recovered it.
Clark returned with a toothless grin — and plenty of grit. Rating his pain at “about a nine” afterward, he calmly stepped to the line and knocked down the final free throw that sealed the victory.
Each time UCF surged, UCLA responded. When Burks’ shooting sparked momentum, the Bruins countered with timely baskets. When the Knights trimmed the deficit to six with just over two minutes remaining, UCLA answered with steady execution and clutch free throws.
The ability to absorb runs without Bilodeau on the floor highlighted the team’s depth and toughness — traits Cronin’s teams have become known for.
Under the fiery Bruins coach, UCLA is once again moving forward in March.
Now comes a much bigger test. With Bilodeau’s status still uncertain — Cronin said the next update will come ahead of Sunday’s game — the Bruins turn their attention to a high-stakes second-round showdown against UConn, hoping their resilience carries over into another deep tournament push.
