2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
American college basketball season / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I season. The Bruins were led by fourth-year head coach Mick Cronin, and they played their home games at Pauley Pavilion as members of the Pac-12 Conference. Guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was named a second-team All-American.[1] He was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year, and received first-team All-Pac-12 honors along with guard Tyger Campbell. Guard Jaylen Clark was named to the second team and was voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was placed on the conference's all-defensive team along with forward Adem Bona, who was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Amari Bailey joined Bona on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, and Cronin was voted the Pac-12 Coach of the Year.[2]
2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball | |
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NCAA tournament, Sweet Sixteen | |
Conference | Pac-12 Conference |
Ranking | |
Coaches | No. 8 |
AP | No. 7 |
Record | 31–6 (18–2 Pac-12) |
Head coach |
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Associate head coach | Darren Savino (4th season) |
Assistant coaches |
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Home arena | Pauley Pavilion (Capacity: 13,819) |
Seasons |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 UCLA | 18 | – | 2 | .900 | 31 | – | 6 | .838 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 8 Arizona† | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 28 | – | 7 | .800 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
USC | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 22 | – | 11 | .667 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon | 12 | – | 8 | .600 | 21 | – | 15 | .583 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 11 | – | 9 | .550 | 23 | – | 13 | .639 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington State | 11 | – | 9 | .550 | 17 | – | 17 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Utah | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | 17 | – | 15 | .531 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 16 | – | 16 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 18 | – | 17 | .514 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stanford | 7 | – | 13 | .350 | 14 | – | 19 | .424 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon State | 5 | – | 15 | .250 | 11 | – | 21 | .344 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
California | 2 | – | 18 | .100 | 3 | – | 29 | .094 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† Conference tournament winner Rankings from AP poll |
UCLA lost five players who were major contributors from their previous year's squad that went 27–8.[3] However, the Bruins were also the only team in the power conferences whose roster consisted entirely of players who began their college careers at that school.[4] With a 60–56 win over Colorado on February 26, 2023, the Bruins clinched their first Pac-12 regular season championship since 2012–13.[5] UCLA ended the regular season with an 82–73 win over No. 8 Arizona, extending their home winning streak to 25 games, the longest active streak in the nation.[6] They won the conference by four games and finished the season undefeated at home for the first time since 2006–07.[6][7] Clark left the game with a lower leg injury, and was ruled out for the Pac-12 tournament.[8] The top-seeded Bruins advanced to the tournament finals before losing 61–59 to No. 2-seed Arizona,[9] ending their 12-game winning streak.[10] UCLA played without its top two defenders,[10] as Bona also missed the game with an injured left shoulder,[9] which he suffered in the semifinals against Oregon.[9][11]
The Bruins, who were vying for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament,[9] received a No. 2 seed in the West Region. It was their highest seeding since they were placed No. 1 in 2008. However, Clark was ruled out for the season.[7] Bona was cleared to return in their opener, but he did not play in the 86–53 rout over No. 15-seed UNC Asheville.[12] He played in the second round against Northwestern, which UCLA won to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the third straight season.[13] The Bruins were eliminated 79–76 by third-seeded Gonzaga. UCLA led by 13 points at halftime, but were down by 10 in the second half with 2:40 remaining. They outscored the Bulldogs 14–3, culminating with a three-point field goal by Bailey to take a one-point lead. However, Gonzaga's Julian Strawther made a 35-foot (11 m) basket with six seconds remaining, and they held on for the win. Bona sat out the game due to his shoulder.[14] The game was rematch of the schools' Final Four matchup from 2021, also won by the Bulldogs, on a 40-foot (12 m) buzzer beater by Jalen Suggs to end the game.[15][16] It was the Bruins' third consecutive loss to the Bulldogs in as many seasons.[17]