All Bruins

Mindset Change Has Bruins Approaching Postseason With New Confidence

UCLA has been a much better team since a rough mid-February road trip, and it has the Bruins eyeing an improbable run.
Travis Tyler|
Mar 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) celebrate against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) celebrate against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In this story:

UCLA Bruins

Less than a month ago, the UCLA men's basketball team was staring down a pivotal stretch in the season. The Bruins were returning from a disastrous road trip to the state of Michigan, losing both games to Michigan and Michigan State by more than 25 points.

They didn't look like they belonged in the same building. It was especially concerning with two top-10 opponents remaining on the schedule, and it was clear something had to change.

"We got on each other as a team," senior guard Donovan Dent told the media after Saturday's regular season finale. "Yes, Coach got on us, but we got on each other as a team because we knew we were better than how we performed that weekend, and we knew our season was on the line. We lose those two by 20 and 30, [so] we have to win out. We knew that, so we just changed our mindset to that."

UCLA's New Mindset

The Bruins may not have won out since that time, but they did finish the regular season on an impressive run, winning four of their last five and earning two more top-10 wins over Illinois and Nebraska, both of whom finished in the top four in the Big Ten. That gave UCLA three wins over top-10 teams at home this season.

m
Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruin head coach Mick Cronin communicates during the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Throughout the five-game stretch, it has also held its opponents under 70 points three times, displaying vast improvement on the defensive end. It all stems from the urgency that the road trip created, and the next step is carrying it over into next week's Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.

"We've had that these last five games because our season's on the line," Dent continued. "We're just going to keep the same attitude we've had, maybe up it a little more, but we have the right mindset right now. We're really winning right now."

Head coach Mick Cronin has been begging UCLA to play elite defense all season, only seeing it in short spurts before folding. The collapse usually comes in road games, where the offense does enough to win, but the defense can't stop anybody.

"Our offense, other than a couple of games, has been great all year," Cronin told the media on Saturday. "Points per possession in college basketball is way up the last five years and way up this year, but it's the best team I've ever coached in 23 years as far as points per possession. Defense is all I worry about with this team."

A bad loss to Minnesota has been the only blemish the Bruins have had since the road trip, but they've responded with two of their best games of the season, holding No. 9 Nebraska to just 52 points and archrival USC to 68 in the season finale. The USC game is particularly impressive because it came on the road, where UCLA has been known to struggle.

It may have just been across town, where the other road games were much further, but it's still adding confidence to the group as the toughest phases of the season approach, all thanks to the change in mindset that has unlocked another part of the team's full potential.

"That's two games in a row we've held the opposing offense to some low scores," Dent said. "I think we're switching our minds a little bit. Offense, we're going to score because we have so many weapons, but we really are switching into that defensive mindset."

If the defense turns it on consistently, UCLA can be a dangerous opponent. That's been a big "if" so far this season, and it's too early to tell if the problem has been solved or how long the new mindset will last. But the Bruins have their belief and confidence back after having it shattered by missed opportunities, and that's at least a step in the right direction as the postseason awaits.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Travis Tyler
TRAVIS TYLER

Travis Tyler joined On SI as a writer in January 2026. He has experience contributing to FanSided’s NFL, college football, and college basketball coverage, in addition to freelance work throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including high school, college, and professional sports for the Dallas Express and contributions to the College Football Dawgs, Last Word on Sports/Hockey, and The Dallas Morning News. In addition to his writing, Travis contributes video and podcasting content to Fanatics View and regularly appears as a guest analyst. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and SMU and is an avid Detroit sports fan with a deep knowledge and appreciation of sports history. Follow Travis Tyler on Twitter at @TTyler_Sports.