Go Joe Bruin
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The Go Joe Bruin UCLA Men’s Basketball Season Preview

By Mike Regalado

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2014-15 Result

Overall: 22-14

Pac-12: 11-7

Home: 16-1

Away: 2-8

Neutral: 4-5

Pac-12 Tournament: 2nd Round loss to Arizona

NCAA Tournament: Loss to Gonzaga in the Sweet 16

The Bruins were very impressive at home last season as they went undefeated at Pauley Pavilion during conference play and lost only once in non-conference to Gonzaga. In that game, the Bruins kept it close with a solid second half comeback, but fell short to the #9 team in the country.

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Unfortunately, that game started a five game losing streak that threw the Bruins off balance going into Pac-12 play, especially with the way some of them went. One in particular was against #1 Kentucky that essentially embarrassed the Bruins in front of a national audience in an 83-44 loss that saw UCLA score a record-low 7 points in the first half. It was a game UCLA could not wait to get a way from, but it was a reminder of how far they still had to go.

Things improved in conference play, but mostly on the home front, which did not include a game against Arizona at Pauley. Still, the Bruins had their hiccups away from home and once again could not claim a road sweep.

Eventually the Bruins managed to pull things together and won 8 of their last 11 games in the regular season. UCLA then entered the Pac-12 Tournament with a 96-70 beating over USC, the third win over the crosstown rivals that season.

Although they lost the next day to Arizona in the Pac-12 second round, UCLA apparently had enough on their resume to earn an invitation to the NCAAs. The Bruins won their first two games, though their first win against SMU was aided by a goaltending call. The Bruins then dismantled UAB to get into the Sweet 16, though it was more bitter than sweet as they lost to Gonzaga for the second time this season and it was not as close in a 74-62 loss.

Next: 2015-16 Outlook