UCLA to Face Wisconsin in Big Ten Quarterfinals

UCLA's quarterfinal matchup in this year's Big Ten Tournament is set.

Jan 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins center Aday Mara (15) reacts after scoring a basket during the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

UCLA knows who its opponent will be in what will be its first-ever contest in the Big Ten Tournament.

With No. 5-seeded Wisconsin's win over No. 13-seeded Northwestern on Thursday, the Bruins will be taking on the Badgers in Friday's quarterfinal matchup.78

UCLA defeated Wisconsin back in January, the second victory of the Bruins' seven-game win streak.

It was a narrow defeat but a momentous one, as the Bruins had been in need of making up ground after their four-game losing streak that put them in a tough hole.

Wisconsin is ranked 18th in the nation but has struggled to find consistency as of late.

While it won its last two games of the regular season, UCLA is in need of establishing consistency of its own, as the Bruins were streaky all season, never really being able to establish a stable identity.

This Big Ten Tournament will be an opportunity for the Bruins to do that.

Of course, UCLA coach Mick Cronin's primary concern is the real tournament.

"I'm not a big believer in conference tournaments," Cronin said after his team's season finale victory over USC on Saturday. "It's only because I played in a lot of them. In Cincinnati, my last three years, we either won them or -- we won the last two.

"We played in the finals like every year in the American [Athletic Conference]. On Sunday. It wears you out. Because the next tournament is what matters."

UCLA, of course, is an iconically successful program. Conference tournaments are not the standard.

"Because around here, man, they ain't gonna hang no banner [if] we when the Big Ten Tournament," Cronin said. " ... A little small one in our practice gym. It ain't going in Pauley. You don't win the national championship around here, they don't hang the banner out there, It's just the way it is."

Winning one would be nice, of course. And not just for the banner, but for UCLA to make a statement to the rest of the conference that it belongs.

The Bruins did that by finishing fourth in the league, but winning the Big Ten Tournament would be the ultimately warning to the league that the Bruins have arrived.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI and @tcav30 and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.