It’s been a while since UCLA took the NCAA championship home. Despite being one of the most prominent programs in college basketball history, the Bruins haven’t taken home the trophy since 1995.
Needless to say, that has put plenty of pressure on Mick Cronin and the program to put those woes behind them and go back to their glory days as soon as possible.
According to NCAA analyst Andy Katz, this might as well be the year they will be able to do so. Per his numbers and analysis, they have the best defense in all of the nation right now.
Analyst says UCLA defense can lead them to the national championship
“UCLA head coach Mick Cronin has the Bruins back in the national conversation as a potential deep NCAA tournament team and a Big Ten title contender. Here’s why—Number one: They’ve got the best defense in the country. They’re holding teams to an average of 55 points a game, and in their win over Arizona, Arizona only scored 54. That’s the fewest points Arizona has scored since 2020,” he said.
UCLA Head Basketball Coach Mick Cronin expresses his feelings during the NCAA game between the UCLA Bruins and Washington Huskies.
The Bruins have officially entered the top 20 of the AP Rankings. They’re now sitting at No. 18 after putting up a defensive masterpiece in their 57-54 win over Arizona, climbing nine spots.
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Of course, there’s still plenty of basketball to be played, and they still have to play against conference foes. Even so, it’s impossible not to feel great about this team with this kind of defense.
