UCLA is one of the most storied and iconic brands in all of collegiate sports, especially for men's basketball. They've got 11 National Championships under their belt, three more than any other program, and have made the NCAA Tournament 57 times since the inaugural tournament in 1939.
Head coach John Wooden took this program to incredible heights during the 1960s and 1970s, but the tradition has been carried on by historic players and coaches like Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Jim Harrick, Reggie Miller, and more.
Last season, the team reached a low in the Mick Cronin era, going below .500 and failing to earn a March Madness berth. However, the program is back in the Big Dance this year and looking to make a deep run in its first season as a member of the Big Ten.
Let's take a look at the program's history in the NCAA Tournament to understand the scope of just how dominant the Bruins have been in March.
UCLA All-Time round-by-round record in the NCAA Tournament
Play-In: 1-1
First Round: 23-6
Second Round: 23-7
Sweet 16: 22-15
Elite 8: 19-4
Final Four: 13-6
National Championship: 11-2
Below is a list of the team's most recent win and loss in each round of the NCAA Tournament.
Play-In: Win vs. Michigan State (2021), Loss vs. St Bonaventure (2018)
First Round: Win vs. UNC-Asheville (2023), Loss vs. Minnesota (2013)
Second Round: Win vs. Northwestern (2023), Loss vs. Florida (2011)
Sweet 16: Win vs. Alabama (2021), Loss vs. Gonzaga (2023)
Elite 8: Win vs. Michigan (2021), Loss vs. Minnesota (1997)
Final Four: Win vs. LSU (2006), Loss vs. Gonzaga (2021)
National Championship: Win vs. Arkansas (1995), Loss vs. Florida (2006)
UCLA won 10 of their 11 championships before seeding became official in 1979, so the following numbers are a bit misleading. However, here is a breakdown of how many times the program has earned each seed in their 34 postseason appearances since 1979, and the most recent year that they did so.
No. 1: 4x (2008)
No. 2: 5x (2023)
No. 3: 2x (2017)
No. 4: 6x (2022)
No. 5: 2x (1999)
No. 6: 4x (2013)
No. 7: 4x (2025)
No. 8: 2x (2002)
No. 9: 1x (1993)
No. 10: N/A
No. 11: 4x (2021)
No. 12-16: N/A
Cronin and his squad, led by Tyler Bilodeau, will be a No. 7 seed this season and draw a tough first-round matchup against Utah State, who was ranked earlier in the year and went 15-5 in a sneaky-good Mountain West Conference. The team will have their work cut out for them if they want to make their mark in this storied program's history.
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