It was a good weekend for the Bruins! Not only did the UCLA men’s basketball team win both their First Four game against Michigan State and their First Round game against BYU, the UCLA men’s water polo team won NCAA Title #119!
Now, today, there are two more NCAA basketball tournament games. First up is the men’s team who will play 14 seed Abilene Christian at 2:15 pm. Then, tonight, the women’s team opens play with a game against Wyoming at 7 pm PT.
Coach Mick Cronin seems to have his guys gelling at the right time and, now, they find themselves in a position nobody expected them to be in — the favorite to win.
That’s because Abilene Christian knocked off 3 seed Texas on Saturday, 53-52.
Today’s game will be the first meeting ever between the Bruins and the Wildcats.
Abilene Christian is a small school compared to UCLA. Total enrollment is about 5,300 students. Despite the small size, Abilene Christian has a proud athletic tradition. The school has won 64 NCAA titles. Most of those have come in Track and Field, albeit at the Division II level. But, 64 NCAA titles allows ACU to be ranked fourth in NCAA titles behind Stanford, UCLA, and Southern Cal.
Let’s look at the Wildcats’ starting five.
Starting Five
Senior Kolton Kohl leads Abilene Christian in scoring with an average of 12.0 points per game. What makes this really interesting is the fact that Kohl is the team’s starting center. Kohl is also second on the team in rebounds per game with an average of 4.8.
Making Abilene Christian even tougher to understand is the fact that the team’s second-best scorer is their other big man, junior Joe Pleasant. Pleasant is averaging 10.8 points per game and he leads the team with an average of 5.5 rebounds per game. Pleasant is also the team’s best three-point shooter, with a three-point shooting percentage of 47.6%. He is the Wildcats’ biggest threat from behind the arc.
Senior Coryon Mason is the third Wildcat averaging in double figures with 10.7 ppg. He’s also the second-best from long range. He has a three-point shooting percentage of 37.7%. That’s mostly a product of Mason taking a lot more shots behind the arc than Pleasant. Mason has only made six more threes than Pleasant, but he’s taken 27 more attempts.
Senior Reggie Miller leads ACU in assists per game with 4.5. While he is second on the team in steals, he also leads the team in turnovers. He only has four more steals than turnovers. So, what the Wildcats gain on defense with Miller is basically lost on the offensive end because he turns it over so much.
The Wildcats’ third guard is junior Damien Daniels. He leads the team in steals with 57 and he doesn’t turn the ball over nearly as much as Miller.
Head Coach Joe Golding
Abilene Christian is coached by Joe Golding. Golding has been affiliated with the Abilene Christian program for all but eight years since 1994. First, he was a player from ‘94-’98. Then, he spent three years as an assistant at the school from 2005 through 2008. After a brief assistant stint at Arkansas-Little Rock, he returned to ACU as the school’s head coach in 2011-12. This year is his tenth season as the Wildcats’ head coach and he has compiled a 158-143 record.
Outlook
I’m tempted to say that it’s almost midnight for this Cinderella team, but no one gave the Bruins much of a chance against Michigan State. So, I’ll just say this. UCLA should win. If they play like they played against BYU, this game won’t be close. As long as they maintain that focus and keep everyone as healthy as possible, the Bruins will return to the Sweet 16 this year.
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. Abilene Christian Wildcats NCAA Second Round game thread.
2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Second Round
Teams: UCLA Bruins (19-9) vs. Abilene Christian Wildcats (24-4)
Series Record: First Meeting
When: 2:15 pm PT, Monday, March 22, 2021
Where: Banker’s Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
TV: TBS with Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce
Radio/Audio: AM 570 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray Satellite Radio: Sirius Ch. 137 and XM Ch. 207 (National feed) And, of course, here in The Mighty Bruin Game Thread!
Thanks again for supporting The Mighty Bruin. Your paid subscriptions make this site possible. Questions, comments, story ideas, angry missives and more can be sent to to @TheMightyBruin on Twitter.
Tyger follows up a layup attempt that didn’t even hit the rim with a super tough 2-pt jump shot... gotta at least hit the rim on a wide open layup attempt
I’ve been a big defender of Cronin but that was not the best half of coaching I’ve ever seen him display. In a game where the Bruins clearly have a dominant advantage with the physicality and size and skills of their players, he got away from interior basketball and relied exclusively on 20-25 foot jump shots. They were unstoppable with kicks on the low post to Riley and dribble drive by using, Jaquez and others. Yet from the 12 minute mark he arrayed five players behind the three-point line. That’s a recipe for disaster. If you come out shooting 20% in the second half and can’t get offensive rebounds, any lead gets chipped away very quickly. i’m incredibly surprised he didn’t recognize the mismatches and try to establish an inside out game. Hoping they make some halftime adjustments and take advantage of their physicality and better athletes.
I actually wouldn't mind seeing a few minutes of Riley there with another big. Throw it over these guys, especially when their 7 footer is on the bench.
They are getting double teamed at the top of the key quickly and don’t know how to play it... they are trying not to turn it over which is a good thing I think.
They also decided to focus on defense this game with Clark playing a decent chunk of minutes. Perhaps trying to reserve some energy for the second half since this is the 3 rd game in 5 days. They have played some good defense in the first half, but expect Abilene to make a few adjustments to score more... hopefully this leads to UCLA scoring more as well
That’s basically the plan. Cronin said their main goal is keeping turnover numbers low. It doesn’t matter if our offense isn’t flowing against ACU. They simply don’t have the offensive firepower to come back, so UCLA can’t give them easy baskets via turnovers
Interesting half. ACU is really a smaller less talented version of UCLA. They play hard, scrap for every loose ball. I respect how hard they play. There was a couple of sequences where the ball was like a pinball bouncing off the players, no one giving up on the play.
UCLA missed some free throws and easy layups or this would be a 15-16 point lead or more. Cronin hopefully makes some adjustments and they can pull away from ACU.
Gbruin and I will just be here...not watching. Go Bruins!!
im wearing the same shirt as the previous two games.
Me too.
Haha!! Me too
For the greater good! Go Bruins!!
U!
C!
L!
A! fight fight fight!
C'mon, Jules! Jump up, not across!
Stupid second foul by Jules-- totally unnecessary reach-in
thankfully, I'm wrong-- looks like only 1 on Jules. Whew!!
i can see how ACU turns teams over. As soon as you pick up your dribble they're all over you and they lock down with ball denial.
Campbell makes his first basket which is promising
Well Cronin says he'd be happy if UCLA doesnt have 4 turnovers by the first media timeout. Looks good so far.
A bit whistle happy thus far.
Very different from the last game, where refs tended to let them play, as baskets notes
Idk if you guys watched last night's Oregon St/OK St. game. Talk abt whistle-happy, 53 fouls were called.
Missed that, but damn! Were the SPTRs?
They’re mixing crews apparently. The refs were from the acc, pac-12, and big 10
UCLA starts out getting all of the Ticky tack fouls against them... let em play refs
OMG Tyger you gotta make those!!
* those easy layups!
ogh!
ACU's hedges remind me of the old Howland team defenses
Riley looks motivated.
Kyman nice shot and then grabbing boards on other end is great!!
Riley has missed both his free throws so far
Love Riley dribble driving to the hole for the foul!
Yes, sir, BB!
Not loving 0-4 from the line.
No but love his D on the other end
Tyger follows up a layup attempt that didn’t even hit the rim with a super tough 2-pt jump shot... gotta at least hit the rim on a wide open layup attempt
0-4 from ft ... gotta clean that up
Riley 0 for 4 from the line
Kyman for 3!!
It's Kyman, not Kayman!!
So far I'm liking our defense
Kyman again!!
Riley 5 boards already
16-0 UCLA run! at the time out
Love the early minutes for Clark.
After some initial jitters UCLA is wheeling and dealing
Wow! Who will get gassed first?
Clark, Singleton, and Kyman all played so far, so bench getting good minutes-- hopefully not us!
Still have Nwuba and Etienne to bang inside if Riley needs a break. Rotation looks really good right now.
Yep, and they are playing really well. I hope the starters are ready to keep it up.
Swarming defense!
What was that guy doing? trying to shoot over a triple team lol
quadruple team! LOL
Clark is a fiend on the boards!
Goal tending on the basket.
Abilene really pushing it up the court now
They couldn't miss forever.
Clark hustling and throwing himself on the ground for the ball-- and they call it a foul??
Should have been over and back. BS call.
Juzang and Bernard both cold today. Although I'm not loving Jules's shot selection
Missing some open looks.
Kyman's been hitting, and Singleton only has one attempt; feel good about our offense
Two refs right there, and the one 60 feet away makes the call. Are these Pac 12 refs?
We need a basket; we've been too cold
Nice board, Jules!
Just brutal officiating again.
Seriously!
Johnny for 3!!
come on...lets get a friggin basket
They're trying to take it inside since Riley sat, but they're not ready for our forwards!
You'd think we'd be used to bullshit officiating by now, but....
31-21 at the half, go Bruins!
Congrats AC on your move to the WAC.
Waterbug guards!
I’ve been a big defender of Cronin but that was not the best half of coaching I’ve ever seen him display. In a game where the Bruins clearly have a dominant advantage with the physicality and size and skills of their players, he got away from interior basketball and relied exclusively on 20-25 foot jump shots. They were unstoppable with kicks on the low post to Riley and dribble drive by using, Jaquez and others. Yet from the 12 minute mark he arrayed five players behind the three-point line. That’s a recipe for disaster. If you come out shooting 20% in the second half and can’t get offensive rebounds, any lead gets chipped away very quickly. i’m incredibly surprised he didn’t recognize the mismatches and try to establish an inside out game. Hoping they make some halftime adjustments and take advantage of their physicality and better athletes.
Hoping we can create more mismatches with Jaime and Johnny down low
I actually wouldn't mind seeing a few minutes of Riley there with another big. Throw it over these guys, especially when their 7 footer is on the bench.
They are getting double teamed at the top of the key quickly and don’t know how to play it... they are trying not to turn it over which is a good thing I think.
They also decided to focus on defense this game with Clark playing a decent chunk of minutes. Perhaps trying to reserve some energy for the second half since this is the 3 rd game in 5 days. They have played some good defense in the first half, but expect Abilene to make a few adjustments to score more... hopefully this leads to UCLA scoring more as well
ACU big men do a good job hedging at the top of the key, disrupting our flow in the beginning
That’s basically the plan. Cronin said their main goal is keeping turnover numbers low. It doesn’t matter if our offense isn’t flowing against ACU. They simply don’t have the offensive firepower to come back, so UCLA can’t give them easy baskets via turnovers
Interesting half. ACU is really a smaller less talented version of UCLA. They play hard, scrap for every loose ball. I respect how hard they play. There was a couple of sequences where the ball was like a pinball bouncing off the players, no one giving up on the play.
UCLA missed some free throws and easy layups or this would be a 15-16 point lead or more. Cronin hopefully makes some adjustments and they can pull away from ACU.