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UCLA men’s basketball is out of the NCAA Tournament after a second-round loss to No. 2 seed UConn on Sunday night. The seventh-seeded Bruins held a lead over the Huskies in the second half but UConn came back to win 73-57 and end UCLA’s season.
One of the biggest questions after the game was if the absence of leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau is what led to UCLA’s downfall. He participated in UCLA’s morning shootaround before the game but Bilodeau was ultimately sidelined with a lingering knee injury he sustained during the Big Ten Tournament.
It was the second consecutive NCAA Tournament game the All-Big Ten Third Team senior forward missed with the injury.
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Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) runs back on defense after scoring a three-point basket during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Bilodeau averaged 17.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 31 games this season.
Without Bilodeau, forward Xavier Booker led the team with 13 points against UConn. Meanwhile, guard Eric Dailey Jr. scored 12 and guards Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark each put up 11.
Mick Cronin Isn’t Using Bilodeau’s Absence As an Excuse
Although Bilodeau’s absence was an undeniable disadvantage for the Bruins, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin is not using it as an excuse for the team’s early elimination.
“My message to our team is no excuses,” Cronin said, per the Los Angeles Times. “Somebody brought up Tyler. We didn’t bring it up. It’s five-on-five. Sadly, I’ve got a lot of practice in dealing with that in NCAA tournament play, but it sucks for him.
“At the end of the day, someone said to me what would have happened if you had your guy? You never know. But I thought the bottom line was they played harder than us. Their defense was better than our offense, and I take responsibility for that,” Cronin added.
This is the second season in a row UCLA has lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. And the season before that, the Bruins missed the tournament entirely.
Despite the program’s lack of success in the playoffs, Cronin signed a five-year contract extension with UCLA in May 2025 that runs through 2029-30 season. Therfore, he is expected to return as UCLA’s head coach next season.
Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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