Deadly Mistake UCLA Cannot Afford To Make This Year

The Bruins had been on a tear going into the March Madness tournament, riding a hot streak that ended with a victory over the highly ranked Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten tournament.

They have also been on a hot streak when it comes to recruiting this year, being able to bring in names that flew under the radar at first, but quickly revealed themselves to be huge assets for the team.

UCLA, Mick Croni — Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

So, with many new players on the team vying for stardom, and Mick Cronin's job potentially on the line this year, there is one mistake that the Bruins cannot afford to make again, because it essentially ended their season.

The Mistake That Essentially Ended March Madness for UCLA

UCLA, Tyler Bilodeau — Mar 13, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) grabs his knee against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Bruins had been without Tyler Bilodeau in the first round of the tournament and in the semifinal of the Big Ten tournament, as expected, after he collapsed with a minor knee injury that needed tending to against MSU.

He was expected to return in time for UCLA's match against the UConn Huskies, who were the No. 2-seeded team in the Bruins' bracket and were not a team to underestimate by any means.

However, he did not return, as Cronin seemed to want to keep him healthy for later in the tournament, believing the team could scrape into the Sweet 16 the same way they squeaked past VCU.

That did not happen, though, and UCLA lost to the eventual national runner-ups in an ugly game that had no offensive consistency, the thing that Bilodeau almost always provided, and UCLA cannot afford to make the same mistake this upcoming season.

The Mistake Might Be Easier To Deal With This Year, Here's Why

While last year's team was quite top-heavy with Donovan Dent and Bilodeau, this new roster is much more spaced out and capable of playing without one player or another.

There will, of course, still be ramifications due to keeping a player out of the game because of too much caution, but it should be easier to deal with, and it should be easier to avoid with the remnants of last season coming back to remind Cronin of what needed to happen.

Furthermore, the Bruins might not have to deal with the injury bug at all next year and not have the chance to mess up like they did this year, but all UCLA can do is look forward as the off-season continues.

Add us as a preferred source on Google