Why UCLA Following Eerily Similar Pattern to Last Season

The UCLA Bruins are starting to figure it out at the right time, following a similar trajectory as last season.

After their latest win, a 73-56 victory over the Oregon Ducks, the Bruins are now winners of five of their last six games. They’ve improved their record to 15-6 overall, and 7-3 in Big Ten play, a significant improvement from their sluggish 2-2 start.

After a strange up-and-down start to the season, the Bruins have started to pick up the pace at the right time. Oddly enough, the Bruins were faced with a similar situation last season.

In the 2024-25 season, UCLA started out with a 10-1 record before dropping five of their next six games, including a four-game losing streak to push their Big Ten record to just 2-4. After that, the Bruins were able to rip off a 7-game winning streak from the middle of January, to the second week of February. They’d go on to finish the season 23-11, and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a 7 seed, where they would fall to Tennessee 67-58.

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts toward officials after not getting a foul call in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Cronin’s thoughts

This time around, the turnaround is happening at the same point of the season as last year. After their win over Oregon, head coach Mick Cronin talked about the pattern he has noticed over the last two seasons.

Jan 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Jake West (3) is defended by UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) and guard Jamar Brown (4) as he drives under the basket in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

“I will say this, when you’re taking transfers — unless you’ve got unbelievable talent — it takes time,” Cronin said. “Even though [Donovan Dent] is a senior, and [Xavier Booker] is a junior, to get them molded into what it takes to win at this level — and Book to get minutes at this level, Donnie, he’s punching up the weight class — it just takes some time.”

“One thing I’ve learned as my career has gone on, it doesn’t matter how good you are early, if you stink late,” he added. “I’m kind of oblivious to what anybody says or thinks about our team. I just try to stay relentless in doing my job, which is make everybody on my team a better player in every way I can make them a better player, mentally, physically, skill…and then your team improves, if your players improve, your team improves. That’s where I put all of my energy.”

Now on a roll, the Bruins will look to keep up the pace with the season now entering the stretch run. Despite a few steps backwards, UCLA is more than capable of sustaining their recent turnaround, and embarking on a deep NCAA tournament run.

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