UCLA Shined Beyond the Arc in First-Round Victory

The UCLA Bruins took home the victory in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament, largely due to their success beyond the arc.

Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) shoots the ball against Utah State Aggies forward Karson Templin (22) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins defeated the Utah State Aggies to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a strong outing on both offense and defense. The Bruins were heavily known for their defensive skills all regular season long, but the offense shined just as much in the triumph.

The Bruins shot 48.1% from the field but saw a ton of success beyond the arc, draining 10 of the 24 shots taken (41.7%). While UCLA did not crack a 50% success rate from deep in the victory, it shot better than its regular-season average.

During the regular season, UCLA shot 35.2% from range, which ranked it sixth in the Big Ten. The program's first season in the conference went well, as they joined seven other conference opponents in the NCAA showdown and finished the regular season in fourth place.

The victory gave the Bruins their 116th tournament victory, bringing their overall tournament record to 116-45. UCLA also pushed itself to another impressive first-round win, something it is very familiar with.

The Bruins have played in 84 NCAA Tournament contests since it expanded in 1985. They have a record of 41-10 in the 50 games they have played in the first weekend.

The Bruins' typical leaders in 3-point shots all season were junior forward Tyler Bilodeau, who shot 40.2% from deep, and sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr., who shot 40% from beyond the arc. However, in the victory, there were some unfamiliar long-ball shooters that shined in, helping lead UCLA to the win.

Junior guard Skyy Clark was the man who led UCLA in 3-point success, draining four of seven shots taken beyond the arc. Clark averaged 37.7% in that area during the regular season, ranking him third behind Bilodeau and Dailey.

Both senior Kobe Johnson and junior Dylan Andrews also chimed in on the long shots, both draining two, respectively. For a team that averaged 74.8 points during the campaign, it was a good sign to see UCLA find early success to build confidence as it marches on to Round 2.

The Bruins will face No. 2-seeded Tennessee on Saturday.

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