UCLA's Leading Scorer to Return for Senior Season

UCLA junior forward Tyler Bilodeau has confirmed that he will be returning for his senior season. After leading the Bruins in scoring last season, he will seek a strong finish to his college career.

Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) and Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) react after a play during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

UCLA Bruins junior forward Tyler Bilodeau will be returning for his senior season, per Bruin Report Online's Tracy Pierson. In his first season as a Bruin last year, he led the team in scoring and will have an even higher ceiling for his final year of eligibility.

After spending his first two seasons with the Oregon State Beavers, posting a 24-40 record, Bilodeau decided to transfer to UCLA and become the starting forward. He has decided that he will not seek a third school in four years, keeping his talents in Westwood for the 2025-'26 season.

Starting all 33 games he played in, Bilodeau finished the year averaged a team-high 13.5 points on 49.6% shooting, a career-high 40% from 3-point range, and 4.6 rebounds per contest. He was the most consistent and talented scorer on the Bruin last season and a huge piece for next year.

What makes Bilodeau so dangerous is his ability to score at all three levels. His three-point shot has looked the best it ever has across his three collegiate seasons. He also had success facing up and shooting over almost any big man in the Big Ten from the mid-range short corner.

His driving ability and skill to finish at the rim were second to none on the team this past season, proving that at 6-9, and 230 pounds, he can still use his skill set to mix up defenders and keep them off balance. He posted a season-high 26 points in a loss to North Carolina back in December of 2024.

With Bilodeau's confirmation that he will be staying, the Bruins have officially retained him, sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. and senior guard Skyy Clark. Those three make up a large majority of the Bruins' starting minutes and points from a season ago. It was huge to get those three back, especially.

It is obviously a positive for Bilodeau to be coming back with a heightened ceiling and another year under his belt, but UCLA will require another big man to help in the post. It must seek the transfer portal and find another strong forward or center to make this team three-dimensional.

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