Michigan hosts UCLA at the Crisler Center on Saturday (12:45 p.m., CBS) with everything to play for.
A win would keep the Wolverines two games clear in the Big Ten standings, and possibly push them to No. 1 in the AP Poll ahead of the biggest week of the regular season — at Purdue and vs. Duke.
UCLA’s second season in the Big Ten is following a similar script to its first. The Bruins got off to a slow start, and lost three road games in January on cross-country trips, then returned home to play five of six games at Pauley Pavilion and suddenly have a much more impressive win-loss record.
With one month left in the regular season, UCLA sits at 17-7 (9-4 Big Ten) on the year, ranked 39th by KenPom with an offense and defense just barely cracking the top-50. The Bruins have a signature home win over Purdue, but that’s about it, with only one road victory outside of the Pacific timezone.
UCLA has had a week off before its Michigan road trip and sits right on the cut-line for the NCAA Tournament field. The Bruins absolutely have the talent to make the NCAA Tournament, but need to pick up some quality wins to bolster their resume and secure a bid.
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