UCLA basketball, and more specifically Mick Cronin, enters next season with a lot of pressure on them.
After leading the Bruins to the final four in just his second season as the Bruins head coach in 2020, Mick Cronin is now entering his eighth year and has not advanced to the Elite Eight since.
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Last year, UCLA entered the season as the preseason 12th-ranked team in the country, with a top transfer portal class and key returning players.
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With all the players on the roster like Donovan Dent, Tyler Biladeau, Skyy Clark, and Trent Perry entering their sophomore year, UCLA was seen as a team that could reach the Elite Eight and challenge for a spot in the Final Four.
Sadly for the Bruins, they were one of the more disappointing teams in college basketball, finishing the year unranked with a 24-12 record.
Now heading into next year, Biladeau, Dent, and Clark all left, with Perry the only major player returning.
Best Case Scenario
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) shoots the ball in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Big Ten is arguably the best conference in college basketball. Michigan just won the national championship, with Illinois also making the final four. Michigan State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Purdue are all teams that can compete for a national championship next season.
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With so much competition in the Big Ten and across college basketball, and with a plethora of returning talent, the best-case scenario for the Bruins is to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.
How They Can Make the Elite Eight
Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) reacts with guard Eric Freeny (8) in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
UCLA enters next season with some familiar and new faces, including Trent Perry and Xavier Booker returning for their junior and senior seasons, while also adding Jaylan Petty and Filip Jovic from the transfer portal.
For the Bruins to reach the elite eight, Trent Perry will need to make another step in his production. Last year, Perry took a giant leap as a sophomore, averaging 13 points per game on 43% shooting from the field and 39% from three, while also being a great perimeter defender.
The transfers that Mick Cronin brought in will also need to produce at a high level. Last year, Donovan Dent was the big transfer addition from the portal, but he underperformed, going from 20 points on 50/40 shooting splits to 13 points on 40/25 shooting splits.
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Cronin brought in Jaylen Petty from Texas Tech, Azavier Robinson from Butler, Filip Jovic from Auburn, and Sergej Macura from Mississippi State. If they all can produce, whether in the starting lineup or off the bench, and help Perry, then the Bruins can challenge for the elite eight.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as UCLA Basketball’s Best-Case Scenario for Next Season.
