Having beaten Alabama in overtime, the UCLA Bruins now move on to the East Regional Final against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium tonight at 6:57 pm PT. If UCLA can win tonight, the Bruins will move on to face the winner of Gonzaga vs. Southern Cal. Can you imagine a UCLA-Southern Cal game for the right to play for the national championship next Monday? That would be amazing!
But, to get to the Final Four, UCLA must first beat the Wolverines tonight, and tonight’s game is going to be tough. Bill Walton may have been right when he called the Big Ten a “truck stop league,” but the Bruins will need to prove it again by beating Michigan.
Michigan got to tonight’s game by winning the Big Ten regular season title. The Wolverines lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament Semis and have beated Texas Southern, LSU and Florida State in the NCAA Tournament. It’s worth nothing that they also lost their regular season finale to Michigan State, 70-64. So, there’s that.
Michigan will look to get the rock inside to freshman center Hunter Dickinson. It’s what Coach Juwan Howard likes his team to do. Cody Riley is going to have his hands full inside. But, if the Bruins can force bad passes by the Wolverines and turn the ball over, the sky will be the limit tonight.
Speaking of Dickinson, let’s look at Coach Howard’s starting five.
Starting Five
Michigan’s hopes rest in the hands of Dickinson. He leads the Wolverines in scoring with 14.2 points per game while also averaging 7.6 rebounds per game. He also leads the team in turnovers and blocks. Really, about the only thing Michigan doesn’t ask their big man to do is shoot three-pointers. He hasn’t made one all season.
Another important piece of Michigan’s team is Franz Wagner. The sophomore from Berlin is averaging 12.8 ppg and is second on the team with 6.5 rpg. With Dickinson, these two form a gruesome twosome for opposing teams.
The good news for the Bruins is that Michigan looks like they will be without one of their team leaders. If Dickinson provides the thunder, guard Isaiah Livers provides the lightning via his senior leadership. Livers is second on the team in points per game with an average of 13.1. Livers is also the team’s best three-point threat. Not only does he lead the team in attempts, he also leads them in three-point percentage whie also being third on the team in boards with an average of 6.0 per game. In other words, if Dickinson is off, Michigan can still go outside and win, except for the fact that he hasn’t played in the NCAA Tournament.
In Livers’ place look for Brandon Johns, Jr. to get the start. Johns has been averaging 9.2 ppg over the past five games. Compared to Livers, he’s an awful three-point shooter with a 17.8% three-point shooting percentage over the past five games.
The Wolverines clearly don’t have someone who can sufficiently replace Livers, but his production has been made up for by the other two Michigan starters. That would be senior co-captain Eli Brooks and graduate transfer Mike Smith. Brooks has been averaging almost four points more per game, with 13.2 ppg, over the last five games than he did for the entire season, which was just 9.5. Brooks has also compensated for the loss of Livers’ long-range shooting by making 48.3% of his three-point attempts. He’s also taking the most attempts which really lets him make up for Livers and then some since Livers wasn’t even shooting threes at that rate during the regular season.
Meanwhile, Smith, who came to Michigan from Columbia, is averaging 2.5 ppg more over the last five games than he averaged for the whole season, 11.8 to 9.3. That’s one way to adjust for losing your second best player.
Outlook
It’s easy to see why Michigan is the favorite in this game. Howard has taken the three-head monster of Dickinson, Livers and Wagner and, somehow, turned it into a four-headed monster in Dickinson, Wagner, Brooks and Smith.
The Bruins are going to have their hands full tonight. And, while I’m tempted to say that it’s going to be almost impossible for UCLA to win tonight, this team has shown unbelievable heart since landing in Indianapolis and you just can’t count them out yet. But, even if they aren’t successful tonight, this sure has been a heck of a ride all month long.
Listen to the Game Here on TMB!
The TuneIn player won’t embed here on Substack, but you can open another tab to listen. Today’s game is on TBS with Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce calling the game. If you would prefer to listen to Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray call today’s game instead you can listen to today’s game online.
Join your fellow Bruin fans discussing today’s game below.
This is your UCLA Bruins vs. Michigan Wolverines NCAA Regional Final game thread.
2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Final
Teams: UCLA Bruins (21-9) vs. Michigan Wolverines (23-4)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 12-4
When: 6:57 pm PT, Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
TV: TBS with Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce
Radio/Audio: AM 870 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray Satellite Radio: Sirius Ch. 138 and XM Ch. 210 (National feed) And, of course, here in The Mighty Bruin Game Thread!
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Defensively great first few minutes of the game for UCLA! Offensively, they’re a bit overwhelmed but if they can settle down and continue this defensive effort it should be a game .
SC got stuffed by the Zags, as expected, the Zaga again are really good.
U clap clap!
C clap clap!
L clap clap!
A clap clap!
UCLA fight fight fight!
Wearing the same shirt as the last 4 games, unwashed. Very excited for this game
Same here!
Well, I hope we fare better than the Trogans!
No fear, Bruins! I look forward to watching the game..... tomorrow!
"I'm not superstitious, but, I am a little stitious."
I'm a lot stitious!
I got called out just this morning for not remembering where that quote came from.
Greatest TV Boss of all time... Michael Scott!
Also wearing the same shirt. Let's go!!!!
I’m wearing the same smug look on my face. Go Bruins! Shock the country!
Oh God, let's go!!
C'mon, Cody!
Slow start
Holy crap!
Both teams tight
Letting them play.
Juze!
JUzang!!
Need more movement on offense
Jaime!
Okay, they're as tight as us
JJJ!!!
Defensively great first few minutes of the game for UCLA! Offensively, they’re a bit overwhelmed but if they can settle down and continue this defensive effort it should be a game .
Bernard has size advantage. He must use it
Refs really letting them play. No foul call in the first 4 mins
Liking our defense so far; avoiding stupid fouls and playing pretty well, making them usually one and done
They really give Riley space when gets the ball top of the key; they sag down to the free throw line
There's the lid!
Letting them play.
Calling that after not calling anything??
Right. That wasn’t the worst we’ve seen, and I’ve been fine with the lack of whistles both ways.
Our ball!!!
Offensively we must calm down
And maybe move a little bit.
Still like our D, but we really need to make some shots now
Nwuba contributing!
Overturn!
Wolverine defense is tough.
Yes. Making our offense look pretty hesitant so far.
Need more movement and stronger cuts. They are grabbing and holding.
Expected.
Time for one of those Singleton 3's
Send it, Jaime!!
4 points in 10 minutes. Not good.
Great board there by Jules
time to make some baskets!!!
Johny! We needed that
Hustle.
Johnny!!!
Times 2!!
JuZang!!
Yesss!
Juzang!!
Juze!
Juzang is hot!!
As long as UCLA is within striking distance they will find the shots. Defensively, UCLA superb offensively they’re getting there.
Our team showing some heart after getting down a bit early. Encouraging forcing Michigan to call their first timeout
We just need a foul call now. Can’t believe we’re at the under-8 timeout and Michigan doesn’t have a foul get
They're perfect
I think the game has been called evenly a lot better than the Alabama game. Also, Riley and Nwuba can do some rebounding.