University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
24-12,13-7Big Ten
UConn
31-5,17-3Big East
Men’s Basketball Falls to UConn, 73-57, in NCAA Tournament
March 22, 2026 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – The No. 7-seed UCLA men's basketball team fell to No. 2-seed UConn, 73-57, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in an East Regional contest at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday night.
The loss ended UCLA's season, as the Bruins closed their campaign with a 24-12 record and a 13-7 mark in Big Ten play.
Four Bruins finished in double figures on Sunday. Xavier Booker led the way with 13 points and five rebounds. Eric Dailey Jr. added 12 points and Skyy Clark had 11 points. Donovan Dent registered his 10th double-double of the season with 11 points and a team-best 10 assists (and just two turnovers).
"Congrats to UConn," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "They were better tonight. Our guys gave the effort. Can't score, can't win. That's a lot of their defense. You got to give them credit, and they get to play next week, and we get to go home."
Alex Karaban led all scorers with 27 points, shooting 9-for-16 from the field with four 3-pointers for UConn (31-5). Braylon Mullins added 17 points for the Huskies in the second all-time meeting between UCLA and UConn.
After falling behind 56-44, midway through the second half, the Bruins went on an scoring 8-0 run to get within four points. The Bruins' and-one opportunity by Dailey Jr. cut UConn's cushion to 56-52. Steven Jamerson II added a dunk on the next Bruins' possession, and UCLA trailed by four points – at 58-54 – with just under seven minutes to go in the contest.
UConn closed the game on a 15-3 scoring run over the final seven minutes to secure the win. With UConn leading UCLA, 58-54, Braylon Mullins was fouled on a 3-point attempt and hit all three free throws. The Huskies pushed their advantage to 63-54 with 5:01 to play on a dunk by Jayden Ross.
UCLA had opened the second half with a 9-2 scoring run to take a 42-40 lead. That run by the Bruins was capped by a 3-point basket from Clark along the wing. UConn responded with a 9-0 scoring run, pushing the Huskies' advantage to 51-44, eight minutes into the half. Karaban had seven of the nine points during that run.
UConn extended its lead to a game-high 12 points – at 56-44 – courtesy of a 14-0 run with 10:44 remaining in the game.
UCLA trailed at halftime against UConn, 38-33. Booker led the way for the Bruins with 12 points and three rebounds, while Dent added nine points and four assists. The Bruins limited UConn to 46 percent from the field and forced eight turnovers in the opening half.
Over the opening 10 minutes of action, the Bruins' defense limited the Huskies to 4-for-11 shooting from the field and forced seven turnovers, as UCLA led by three, 18-15.
Booker slammed home a dunk off a dish from Dent and added a triple, while Dent connected from three as the Bruins took a 14-9 lead, five minutes into the game.
The Bruins, who finished the year 24-12, made their 54th NCAA Tournament appearance and advanced to the tournament's second round for the fifth time under Coach Cronin. UCLA advanced into the second round with a 75-71 win over UCF on Friday, March 20.
