UCLA’s Season Comes to an End Against Tennessee

On March 22, 2025, the UCLA men’s basketball team, seeded No. 7, faced No. 2-seed Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The game concluded with a score of 67-58 in favor of Tennessee, marking the end of UCLA’s season with a final record of 23-11.

Junior guard Skyy Clark was the standout player for the Bruins, scoring a season-high 18 points and successfully making 4-of-5 from beyond the arc within 21 minutes of play. Junior forward Tyler Bilodeau contributed with 15 points, while sophomore center Aday Mara added seven points from the bench, all during the first half.

Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier led all scorers with 20 points, showcasing his shooting skills by hitting four out of five attempts from three-point range. The Volunteers demonstrated a strong performance in the second half, connecting on 7 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc. Other key players for Tennessee included Zakai Zeigler and Jordan Gainey, who finished with 15 and 13 points, respectively.

A significant turning point in the game came during a 22-6 scoring run by Tennessee, which took place from the last three minutes of the first half and continued into the second half. This run allowed Tennessee to build a 46-31 lead, which eventually extended to a 19-point advantage with just 5:15 remaining, following a 3-pointer by Zeigler.

UCLA’s head coach Mick Cronin commented on the match, saying, “Look, they’re a hell of a team. They scored 67. You’re not going to win many games getting 58. Skyy not being able to play and Eric threw us off. It messed the game up.” Clark faced foul trouble that limited his play, spending 17 minutes off the court during the first half.

The Bruins started strong, with initial 3-pointers from Bilodeau and Clark that gave them an early lead. However, Tennessee managed to close out the first half with an 8-0 run, taking a 32-25 lead into halftime. The Volunteers maintained control, drawing fouls effectively, as evidenced by a 10-for-11 performance from the free-throw line in the first half.

UCLA made its 53rd NCAA Tournament appearance this year and advanced to the second round for the fourth time under coach Mick Cronin’s leadership, previously defeating Utah State 72-47 in the first round on March 20.