Here first is a look at each team's season up to this point.
Utah State Aggies
Season Record: 26-7 Conference Record: 15-5
Five metric and analytical-based site rankings: NET: #37, KenPom: #52, Barttorvik: #47, BPI: #44, Evan Miya: #55.
Best victories of this season: San Diego State (79-71), Montana (95-83), St. Bonaventure (72-67) in the NIT Season Tip-off, Nevada (90-69), Colorado State (93-85), South Florida (88-67), Boise State (81-79), @ Nevada (69-64), @ San Diego State (67-66), @ San Jose State (85-78), @ Saint Mary's (75-68), Iowa (77-69) in the Hall of Fame Classic, and North Texas in the NIT Season Tip-off, UNLV (76-71), San Diego State (79-71), and UNLV (70-58) on a neutral court.
Losses this season: UC San Diego (73-75), @ UNLV (62-65), @ Colorado State (66-93), @ New Mexico (79-82), @ Boise State (65-82), New Mexico (63-82), and Colorado State (72-83) on a neutral court.
UCLA Bruins
Season Record: 22-10 Conference Record: 13-7
Five metric analytical-based site rankings: NET: #27, KenPom: #27, Barttorvik: #25, BPI: #27, Evan Miya: #29.
Best victories this season: Washington (69-58), 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), @ Washington (65-60), Oregon (78-52), Michigan State (63-61), Penn State (78-54), Ohio State (69-61), @ Indiana (72-68), @ Northwestern (73-69), and USC (90-63).
Losses 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) on a neutral court.
Strength of Schedule comparison
UCLA
Quad 1 Record: 9-8
Quad 2 Record: 5-1
Quad 3 Record: 1-1
Quad 4 Record: 7-0
Utah State
Quad 1 Record: 2-4
Quad 2 Record: 8-3
Quad 3 Record: 5-0
Quad 4 Record: 10-0
History between these two basketball teams.
These two teams go back a considerable time, having played each other in three games during the 1931–32 basketball season. Having won each of the past five meetings, UCLA boasts an 8-5 all-time record versus Utah State. The last time UCLA played Utah State was in the round of 32 at the 2001 NCAA Tournament. UCLA won that game by a final score of 75-50 to qualify for the Sweet Sixteen that year. The Bruins have played Utah State in three NCAA Tournaments in the years 1962, 1970, and 2001.
Game information
Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Time: 6:25 p.m. PT
Television: TNT with commentators Brian Anderson and Jim Jackson
Arena/Venue: Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
Radio: AM 570 and SIRIUS XM: Channel 208 or 201