UCLA looks to take advantage of struggling UCF team in round of 64 matchup

UCLA will open up the NCAA tournament with a matchup against No. 10 UCF. A game in which they will be 6.5-point favorites in right now. UCLA is a far more talented team. They have the ability to make a run as a No. 7 seed, but they’re big question will be health. This team has the talent to win, but they are battling injuries to Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau. Quite possibly their top two players on the roster. They’re both expected to be a full go for the tournament, but they will be storylines to watch.

UCLA had a great chance to beat Purdue who ended up winning the Big Ten tournament. But they just did not have enough fire power with Dent and Bilodeau out. So, they flailed out late in that game before running out of gas and Purdue, taking off to the finish to a 73-66 win. That was the difference between UCLA getting their No. 7 seed compared to a possible No. 4 seed. Leading to them having to go across the country to Philadelphia to play.

UCF is struggling into the NCAA tournament. They have lost four of their last five games. They go in with a 21-11 record with an even 9-9 record in Big 12 play. They have a decent offense as they score 81 points per game. They’re very top heavy on four double digit scorers. They score 53 of their 81 points per game. Led by senior Riley Kugel who averages 14.4 points per game and senior Themus Fulks at 14.1 points per game. They form a good scoring back court that UCLA will need to contain.

UCLA will not be happy about having to go across the country. They did not get as favorable of a schedule as the women did. The women get to stay at home at Pauley Pavilion and play. But this is what the men will have to deal with. There is no going around it. Now they need to hope for full health and get the benefit of an extra day off before they play Friday. Put it all together just like they did before the Dent and Bilodeau injuries and they can make a sleeper run.