Tag: Tyler Bilodeau

UCLA hoops suffers first Big Ten loss, falling to Nebraska on the road

The Bruins leave Lincoln empty-handed.

In a low-scoring affair in Lincoln, the Nebraska Cornhuskers handed the No. 15 UCLA Bruins their first loss in the Big Ten this season, 66-58.

Now 11-3 on the season and 2-1 in the Big Ten, the Bruins’ loss on Saturday afternoon is one they wish they could have back.

Though UCLA finished with a better field goal percentage than the Cornhuskers (38.6 to 32.7), the Bruins’ inability to knock down threes plagued them from the jump.

The Bruins finished 4-28 from three-point range, with UCLA starters Sebastian Mack, Skyy Clark, and Dylan Andrews combining to shoot 0-11 beyond the arc.

Standout forward Tyler Bilodeau tallied 15 points and five rebounds but could not lift the Bruins to victory; foul trouble limited his production.

Sloppy execution on offense led to 15 turnovers and only six offensive rebounds for the Bruins. They struggled to keep pace with Nebraska’s production off the bench. The Huskers were plus-8 in bench points (23-15), and that was the final margin of victory for NU.

The Bruins will return home to Westwood next week as they try to get back in the win column against another Big Ten opponent, Michigan.

UCLA hoops jumps to No. 24 in latest AP college basketball poll

The Bruins land back in the Top 25.

The UCLA Bruins have hit their stride after a shaky start to the college basketball season. Taking down No. 12 Oregon, the Bruins returned to the AP Top 25 ranking this week.

Landing at No. 24 in the AP Poll, just behind San Diego State, Cincinnati, and Big Ten comrade Michigan State, the Bruins are a perfect 7-0 since their sole loss to New Mexico in early November.

After knocking off two Big Ten opponents in a row, first Washington, then Oregon, the Bruins are finally rolling. Entering the season as the No. 22 team in the AP Poll, the Bruins are right around where they started. With Big Ten play to ramp up over the next two months, UCLA has an opportunity to continue to build momentum.

Given the transfer additions of Skyy Clark, Kobe Johnson, and Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA rightfully had high expectations this season. If their newly-added star players can take to Mick Cronin’s coaching, the Bruins should be in the hunt for a long run in the NCAA tournament this spring.

Tyler Bilodeau listed as sleeper of UCLA transfer class

Don’t sleep on Tyler Bilodeau.

What Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins men’s basketball program have done in the transfer portal is unfathomable. Yet, they are a consistent team in way-too-early top 25 rankings, and for a lot of reasons.

The Bruins will be under the microscope during and before the season, which is a good thing after a disappointing campaign.

College basketball insider Jon Rothstein mentioned Oregon State transfer Tyler Bilodeau as the sleeper piece of this portal class:

Bilodeau is the sleeper of UCLA’s transfer class.

Armed with good size at 6-9, the former Oregon State forward can stretch the defense from the center spot and is a walking mismatch on offense. He averaged 17.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in the Beavers’ final eight games of last season. Either he or Dailey (9.3 points, 4.8 rebounds) is likely to be in the mix to start at power forward. The versatile Dailey has plenty of similarities of the types of players that Cronin won a massive amount of games with at both Cincinnati and UCLA.

Bilodeau and Oklahoma State transfer Eric Dailey Jr. both came to Westwood around the same time, and there is a chance that Bilodeau could be the sleeper addition of all the players coming in.