UCLA Projected to Face Sneaky Big 12 Team in Recent Bracketology

There are still two games to go in UCLA's regular season, so much can still happen as far as conference tournament and NCAA Tournament seeding goes. Let's take a look at where one college basketball has the Bruins seeded in The Big Dance.

Feb 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin during the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

We're getting closer and closer to tournament time in college basketball.

Some teams have already won their conferences or have begun to separate themselves as the best in their conference. Meanwhile, there are some that are still -- even at this point in the season -- looking to establish an identity going into their conference tournaments.

UCLA could probably be described as such a team. From losing four straight in January to bouncing back with a seven-game win streak to struggling on the road to falling to a much inferior Minnesota team at home, this Bruins team just can't seem to figure out what it wants to be.

Fortunately for UCLA, it has two more regular-season opportunities against two of the worst teams in the conference, starting with a road game against Northwestern on Monday.

If the Bruins are able to capitalize like they should, they will be riding high going into their trip to Indianapolis next week.

As of now, though, if the NCAA Tournament started today, the Bruins would be in a tough spot.

CBS Sports' Jerry Palm has UCLA projected to be a 7-seed in his latest bracketology. He has the Bruins playing in the Midwest region (Cleveland), paired with projected 10-seed West Virginia.

That's one 10-seed you do not want to run into.

The Mountaineers hold a 17-12 overall record with an 8-10 record in the Big 12. They put up a fight against then-No. 3 Gonzaga in the Battle 4 Atlantis back in November and upset then-No. 24 Arizona in that same tournament.

West Virginia also upset then-No. 7 Kansas on New Year's Eve and then-No. 2 Iowa State in January.

Since then, though, the Mountaineers have gone 4-8, but it has to also be noted that they play in one of the toughest conferences in all of college basketball.

Considering its resume against ranked opponents, West Virginia is a team that has "Cinderella Team" written all over it.

UCLA and West Virginia haven't met since 2007 when the Mountaineers narrowly bested the Bruins, 70-65, in Morgantown.

In Palm's bracketology, the winner of that Bruins-Mountaineers game would likely take on projected No. 2-seeded Florida in the Round of 32.

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