By Justin HAGER
The UCLA Bruins made history Tuesday night, defeating the heavily favored No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines, 51-49 to advance to the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Final Four. Being one of the top-four teams in the country is a noteworthy accomplishment, though it is a position UCLA is accustomed to being in – it has the second most Final Four appearances in men’s basketball history. But this Bruins team is special, even by LA standards.
Two weeks ago, UCLA wasn’t sure if it would even make the 68-team tournament. That’s right: 68 teams get in to the NCAA tournament and UCLA still wasn’t sure if it would make it. When it did, it was the third-to-last team included in the tournament field and earned a No. 11 seed in its region. Two weeks later, it is only the sixth double-digit seed to reach the Final Four since the tournament expanded in 1985.
The journey to the Final Four included upset victories over Alabama, the No. 5-ranked overall team in the tournament, and Michigan, the No. 3-ranked overall team in the tournament. If the team finds a way to defeat No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga, they will become the first double-digit seed to appear in the national championship game.
But a victory over Gonzaga would be truly momentous as Gonzaga enters the game as an undefeated 30-win team, with 29 of those 30 wins being by 10 points or more. Gonzaga’s most recent win came at the expense of UCLA’s cross-town rival and fellow double-digit seeded underdog, USC, which lost to Gonzaga 85-66. USC beat UCLA twice this season.
While victory against Gonzaga may be unlikely, so was everything else about the Bruins (and Trojans) unexpected runs in this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. So for now, celebrate the possibility that by this time next week the UCLA Bruins could join the LA Lakers and LA Dodgers as the third Los Angeles team with the current title of “reigning national champion.”