Official Report Card For Each UCLA Starter vs USC

The Bruins had performances all over the grading scale following their impressive 89–68 win over USC.

While there were a few poor individual outings, UCLA largely played with strong cohesion and chemistry throughout the game. If the Bruins can build on this performance, they could have a very solid tournament run ahead of them. Only time will tell if they can maintain that level of play.

Trent Perry had a rough night, to say the least. It was a step back in what has otherwise been a strong season for him. His poor shooting performance raises a few questions heading into the tournament, but it is not necessarily something to panic about.

Perry is at his best when he serves as UCLA’s second-leading scorer. When that happens, the Bruins have offensive options all over the floor. However, with how crowded UCLA’s guard rotation is, it simply was not his night to fill that role. Moving forward, his production should bounce back.

Donovan Dent was exceptional once again. In the previous game against USC, he scored 30 points, and this performance was not far behind that level. If he can maintain that kind of production, UCLA will become a very dangerous team in the tournament. The Bruins’ ceiling rises significantly when Dent is playing at this level.

The only concern with Dent is consistency. At times, he can produce performances like this, but other times he can disappear offensively. Even if he finds a middle ground between those extremes during the tournament, UCLA will remain a very strong team.

Skyy Clark struggled to get anything going offensively. In his 34 minutes of play, he managed just two points, both coming from the free-throw line. Clark possesses a skill set that is difficult to replace, and when he is off, other Bruins have to step in to fill that scoring gap. His shooting will be crucial during the tournament.

Much like Perry, Clark’s role can fluctuate depending on how the system distributes scoring opportunities. UCLA has so many offensive weapons that finding a consistent rhythm can be difficult. Because of that, this performance could simply be an outlier rather than a trend.

This was exactly the kind of performance UCLA needed from Eric Dailey Jr. Entering the season, he was regarded as one of the top small forwards in the country, and this showing reinforced that reputation. When Dailey plays well, UCLA becomes a far more dangerous team overall.

The tournament tends to be very physical, and Dailey’s ability to thrive in those conditions could be crucial. If he can sustain this level of play, UCLA will have a legitimate chance to make a deep run. Still, consistency remains the question, as Dailey has been somewhat up and down this season.

Tyler Bilodeau was also an impactful piece for the Bruins. However, all 16 of his points came in the first half, which meant his scoring presence faded in the second. Interestingly, both Dent and Dailey had similarly half-heavy performances, creating an unusual scoring distribution.

If Bilodeau can maintain consistency throughout both halves, UCLA will become an even more dynamic offensive threat. His ability to score in quick bursts makes him one of the most dangerous players in the nation. The challenge, however, is sustaining that production over the full course of a game.

cronmi — Mar 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) talks with head coach Mick Cronin against the Southern California Trojans first half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images