This will be one of the most intriguing and even the most watched games of the round of 32.
Bruins
VolunteersHere is a look at Tennessee's season resume entering this game.
Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers
Overall Season Record: 28-7 SEC Conference Record: 12-6 NCAA Tournament Record: 1-0
Analytical-metric-based rankings: NET: #5, KenPom: #5, Barttorvik: #6, BPI: #6, Evan Miya: #8.
Top 10 wins this season: @ Louisville (77-55), Baylor (77-62) in the Baha Mar Hoops—Bahamas Championship, @ Illinois (66-64), Auburn (70-65) in the SEC tournament, Alabama (79-76), Texas (83-72) in the SEC tournament, @ Texas A&M (77-69), Missouri (85-81), Florida (64-44), and Mississippi State (68-56).
Defeats this season: @ Florida (43-73), @ Vanderbilt (75-76), @ Auburn (51-53), Kentucky (73-78), @ Kentucky (64-75), @ Ole Miss (76-78), and Florida (77-86) in the SEC Tournament.
Now a closer look at UCLA's season resume entering this game with the Vols.
UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
Overall Season Record: 23-10 Big Ten Conference Record: 13-7 NCAA Tournament Record: 1-0
Analytical-metric-based rankings: NET: #27, KenPom: #22, Barttorvik: #16, BPI: #27, Evan Miya: #20.
Top 10 wins this season: Arizona (57-54) in the Hall of Fame Rivalry, @ Oregon (73-71), Gonzaga (65-62) in the West Coast Hoops Showdown, Iowa (94-70), Wisconsin (85-83), Oregon (78-52), Michigan State (63-61), Ohio State (69-61), @ Indiana (72-68), and @ USC (82-76).
Defeats this season: New Mexico (64-72) on a neutral court, North Carolina (74-74) in the CBS Sports Classic, @ Nebraska (58-66), Michigan (75-94), @ Rutgers (68-75), @ Illinois (78-83), Minnesota (61-64), at Purdue (66-76), @ Maryland (61-79), and Wisconsin (70-86) in the Big Ten Tournament.
An overview of both teams entering this game.
UCLA Bruins
Head Coach: Mick Cronin (6th season at UCLA) (13 seasons at Cincinnati) (3 seasons at Murray State)
Conference: Big Ten (in their first year in the B1G) (Previously a member of the Pac-12)
Key Players for UCLA:
Dylan Andrews (Junior, Guard): Stats this season: PTS 7.1, REB 1.5, AST 3.5, FG% 38.3. He can drive to the basket and create opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Skyy Clark (Junior, Guard): Stats this season: PTS 8.2, REB 2.8, AST 2.8, FG% 45.9. A transfer guard from Louisville who has the ability to score in double digits and is primarily the Bruins's top ball-handler and point guard. He can also get going from beyond the arc.
Eric Dailey Jr. (Sophomore, Forward): Stats this season: PTS 11.7, REB 4.1, AST 1.4, FG% 51.3. A versatile forward who contributes both offensively and on defense for the Bruins. He has shown significant improvement throughout the season and has been relatively consistent, with the exception of the Wisconsin game.
Sebastian Mack (Sophomore, Guard): Stats this season: PTS 9.7, REB 2.2, AST 1.8, FG% 42.7. A quick and athletic guard who can provide instant offense off the bench and was primarily a starter last season.
Tyler Bilodeau (Junior, Forward): Stats this season: PTS 13.5, REB 4.6, AST 1.5, FG% 49.5. A transfer from Oregon State has a veteran presence and is a reliable shooter. Most importantly, he is UCLA's leading scorer this season.
UCLA's Strengths:
Defense: Under Mick Cronin, UCLA has consistently been a strong-minded defensive team. They are disciplined, limit opponents' scoring opportunities and force turnovers. In their first-round game against Utah State, they showcased this, holding the Aggies to just 47 points. UCLA also is ranked 22nd in the country in scoring defense and 19th in the nation in forced turnovers this season.
Free Throw Shooting: UCLA demonstrated excellent free-throw shooting in their first-round game against Utah State, going a perfect 10-for-10. On the season, they are ranked 228th in the country, which is not good, but they have been much better at the free throw line lately.
Balanced Offense: The Bruins displayed good ball movement in their game against Utah State, recording 22 assists. UCLA is also ranked 28th in the country in assists per game and 18th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio this season.
Tennessee Volunteers
Head Coach: Rick Barnes (10th season at Tennessee) (17 seasons at Texas) (4 seasons at Clemson) (6 seasons at Providence)
Conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)
Key Players for Tennessee:
Chaz Lanier (Senior, Guard): Stats this season: 18.0 PTS, REB 3.8, AST 1.0, FG% 43.8%. He exploded for 29 points in Tennessee's first-round victory over Wofford, showcasing his scoring prowess as the leading scorer for the Vols this season.
Zakai Zeigler (Senior, Guard): Stats this season: 13.7 PTS, REB 3.0, AST 7.5 FG% 41.2%. He scored 23 points against Florida in the SEC Tournament and is the Vol's second-leading scorer this season. The most impressive stat about him is his outstanding 7.5 assists per game this season.
Jordan Gainey (Senior, Guard): Stats this season: 11.3 PTS, REB 3.4, AST 1.9, FG% 39.8%. He is the Vols' best free-throw shooter this season and scored 24 points in Tennessee's loss to Florida in the SEC Tournament.
Tennessee's Strengths:
Defense: Like UCLA, Tennessee is known for its strong defensive capabilities under Rick Barnes. They are physical and disruptive and ranked No. 4 in the country in field goal percentage defense.
Scoring Ability: The Volunteers have shown their ability to make significant points, as evidenced by them scoring 96 points on Syracuse, 85 on Missouri, and 83 on Texas this season.
Turnover Margin: Maintaining possession and limiting turnovers is a strength for Tennessee, which is ranked 29th in the country in assist/turnover ratio this season.
Key Matchups
UCLA's Guards vs. Tennessee's Guards: The battle in the backcourt will be pivotal as guard play is essential, as the strength of the Vols team is their guard play, and UCLA's guards have proven to limit the scoring of other teams' best guards this season. Which team's guards can control the tempo, create scoring opportunities, and limit turnovers will significantly impact the game's outcome. Advantage: Tennessee
UCLA's Frontcourt vs. Tennessee's Frontcourt: The rebounding battle and interior scoring will be necessary for who wins this game. Both teams have capable forwards, and whoever can score in the paint and control the rebounding margin will help their team win this game. Advantage: UCLA
Mick Cronin vs. Rick Barnes: Both coaches are highly respected for their defensive philosophies and tactical adjustments. The strategic decisions and in-game management from Cronin and Barnes will be fascinating to watch. Advantage: Even