A UCLA team that needed overtime to advance out of the First Four is now headed to the Final Four. The No. 11 seed Bruins outlasted No. 1 seed Michigan 51-49 on Tuesday night to complete an improbable run through the East Regional and into a Saturday showdown with Gonzaga in the national semifinals.
The winner of that game will go to the national title game, but for now, the Bruins have a new accomplishment to add to their storied basketball lore. UCLA is just the second team ever to reach the Final Four after playing in the First Four, joining VCU's 2011 team.
Tuesday's victory over the Wolverines required every bit of fortitude the Bruins could muster. UCLA fell behind 13-6 in the opening minutes and looked lifeless offensively. But sophomore guard Johnny Juzang put the Bruins on his back, scoring 28 points in the game.
The Kentucky transfer has emerged as a true star for the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament, and Tuesday's performance was his best yet. Juzang did miss a free throw with 6.3 seconds left that gave Michigan an opportunity to attempt a game-winner at the end of regulation. However, Michigan missed a pair of looks in the final seconds, and UCLA's unlikely run survived for another day.
Late chances
Michigan got two great looks in the final six seconds that could have won the game. First, guard Mike Smith pulled up on the left wing with three seconds left and attempted a relatively open 3-pointer that rimmed out. The rebound went out of bounds off UCLA's Jaylen Clark, which gave Michigan one more chance with 0.5 seconds left.
Again, the Wolverines got a quality look. Inbound passer Hunter Dickinson hit Franz Wagner in stride, but Wagner's 3-point shot from the left wing hit the backboard, the rim and then fell off.
Missing those last-second looks will haunt Michigan, but the Wolverines missed their last eight shots total, including a pair of attempts that would have given them the lead on their prior possession. With senior leader Isiah Livers out with a foot injury, it didn't feel like the Wolverines had an obvious go-to option when the game was on the line.
Magic Mick
Mick Cronin made nine straight NCAA Tournament appearances at Cincinnati but only advanced to the Sweet 16 once. Now in his first NCAA Tournament with UCLA, he's headed to the Final Four. For a team that lost its leading returning scorer, Chris Smith, after just eight games, this is nothing short of magical.
UCLA started out 8-9 last season during Cronin's first year, and it seemed clear why he wasn't the Bruins' top choice. But all he's done since that point is mold this program into a gritty, overachieving bunch. The Bruins battled back from their disastrous start last season to finish second in the Pac-12.
This season hit a speed bump, too. UCLA had lost four straight games entering the NCAA Tournament. Now, all of a sudden, the Bruins have won five straight, including two overtime games and a last-second thriller.
Johnny on the spot
What are Kentucky fans thinking as they watch Juzang evolve into a star? He could barely hold a place in the Wildcats' rotation as a freshman last season and is now the star of a Final Four team while Kentucky sits at home after a 9-16 season.
Juzang is from the Los Angeles suburbs and described his decision to transfer to UCLA as "coming home." Now, the 6-foot-6 wing will be a legend in his home city. His performance was even more heroic because it came as he battled through a right ankle injury in the second half. When Juzang limped off the floor with 17:17 left, UCLA led by nine points. Michigan went on a quick 4-0 run while Juzang was out.
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