Bruin Stars Reflect on Bounce-Back Season: 'I Love This Team'

The UCLA Bruins (23-11) saw their season come to a close on Saturday night, falling to the Tennessee Volunteers (29-7) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Following the loss, junior stars Tyler Bilodeau and Skyy Clark spoke to the media, reflecting on their first season in Westwood.

It surely was not the end to the year that the Bruins expected or wanted, but there is a lot to be motivated about from this season. UCLA basketball surely expects more success, but from where this program has risen to from just one season prior, things are moving in the right direction.

After missing the tournament last year with a 16-17 record, the Bruins bounced back, competing as one of the top teams in their new conference. They brought in a litter of new transfers, battling a tough road schedule and finishing fourth in the conference with a first-round tournament win.

Clark has played at three schools in three years, coming back to his hometown for his junior year. He has already announced that he will be returning for his senior season after averaging 8.5 points with shooting career highs from the field (45.8%) and three-point range (39.7%).

Clark reflected on what his first season as a Bruin was like, how he developed on and off the basketball court, and he paid homage to the two seniors who had just played their final collegiate game. Perseverance and resilience were two main themes of this team this year, and Clark summed it up.

"The season was a lot of fun," Clark said. "I think I grew up mentally as a person, as a player. Made a lot of great connections. We're definitely going to miss Kobe [Johnson] and Laz [Lazar Stefanovic], they're a vital part of the team. But the season was fun.

"There were a lot of up and downs, but we stuck together through it all. I'm super proud of everybody, coaching staff, players, managers, nutritionists, everybody."

For Bilodeau, he is holding one last year of eligibility, and Bruin fans hope he stays in the Blue and Gold. He was the team's leading scorer this season, averaging 13.5 points on a career-high 40% from three, pulling down 4.6 rebounds per game. He was a game-changer all season for UCLA.

The Kennewick, Washington native started his career at Oregon State, transferring to the Bruins this past offseason. He spoke about how much this team means to him and how hard this team fought in less-than-ideal circumstances. It cannot be stressed enough how this team competed through all 34 games.

"Skyy said it perfectly. I love this team," Bilodeau said. "First year in the Big Ten, getting fourth with how we fought. Getting through the ups and downs. Going to miss those seniors, Kobe and Laz, they're great on and off the court. I love those guys.

"Just all around good things about everyone, coaching staff, team, everyone else who puts hours into this. Couldn't be more proud of this team."

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