UCLA snags No. 7 seed in the East region and will travel to Philadelphia to play No. 10 UCF

UCLA has landed the No. 7 seed in the East region and will now go across country to play UCF in the first round. This should create quite a gripe, and we can already see Mick Cronin being upset about this decision. Especially with all the travel that UCLA has done this season. The benefit that UCLA gets is they got their Friday game they were hoping for. As that gives an extra day of rest for Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau.

If the Bruins are wanting to make a run, it is not going to be easy. UCF will be a tough game to open and then if the Bruins are able to win that game, they will then get UCONN. Also to mention if they continue to pull off the improbable, they will most likely land Duke. Which is probably the best team in the nation with the most talented players. So, they will need to go all the way to Philadelphia and pull off multiple upsets.

UCLA has a very talented team when they’re healthy. But that is the biggest issue, they’re banged up and need as much rest as possible. After a tough loss to Purdue down their top two scorers. They watched Purdue go onto win the Big Ten tournament. Which could’ve been UCLA if they had all of their players. Even without Bilodeau and Dent they held strong in that quarterfinals game.

If they would’ve gone on to win that tournament title, they could’ve likely got a No. 4 or No. 5 seed and a much easier path. But this is where the cards stack and if they want to make a run, they’re going to have to play their best basketball. There is no going around the travel or making injury excuses. The tables now turn and this is now or never. Nobody cares who plays and who doesn’t, on to Philadelphia and looking to make a 2021 type run again.