2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
The 2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I season. The Bruins were led by fourth-year head coach Mick Cronin, and they played their home games at Pauley Pavilion as members of the Pac-12 Conference. Guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was named a second-team All-American. He was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year, and received first-team All-Pac-12 honors along with guard Tyger Campbell. Guard Jaylen Clark was named to the second team and was voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was placed on the conference's all-defensive team along with forward Adem Bona, who was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Amari Bailey joined Bona on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, and Cronin was voted the Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
| 2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball | |
|---|---|
NCAA tournament, Sweet Sixteen | |
| Conference | Pac-12 Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 8 |
| AP | No. 7 |
| Record | 31–6 (18–2 Pac-12) |
| Head coach |
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| Associate head coach | Darren Savino (4th season) |
| Assistant coaches |
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| Home arena | Pauley Pavilion (Capacity: 13,819) |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 UCLA | 18 | – | 2 | .900 | 31 | – | 6 | .838 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Arizona† | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 28 | – | 7 | .800 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USC | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 22 | – | 11 | .667 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon | 12 | – | 8 | .600 | 21 | – | 15 | .583 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State | 11 | – | 9 | .550 | 23 | – | 13 | .639 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington State | 11 | – | 9 | .550 | 17 | – | 17 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | 17 | – | 15 | .531 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 16 | – | 16 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 18 | – | 17 | .514 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stanford | 7 | – | 13 | .350 | 14 | – | 19 | .424 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon State | 5 | – | 15 | .250 | 11 | – | 21 | .344 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 2 | – | 18 | .100 | 3 | – | 29 | .094 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † Conference tournament winner Rankings from AP poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UCLA lost five players who were major contributors from their previous year's squad that went 27–8. However, the Bruins were also the only team in the power conferences whose roster consisted entirely of players who began their college careers at that school. With a 60–56 win over Colorado on February 26, 2023, the Bruins clinched their first Pac-12 regular season championship since 2012–13. UCLA ended the regular season with an 82–73 win over No. 8 Arizona, extending their home winning streak to 25 games, the longest active streak in the nation. They won the conference by four games and finished the season undefeated at home for the first time since 2006–07. Clark left the game with a lower leg injury, and was ruled out for the Pac-12 tournament. The top-seeded Bruins advanced to the tournament finals before losing 61–59 to No. 2-seed Arizona, ending their 12-game winning streak. UCLA played without its top two defenders, as Bona also missed the game with an injured left shoulder, which he suffered in the semifinals against Oregon.
The Bruins, who were vying for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, received a No. 2 seed in the West Region. It was their highest seeding since they were placed No. 1 in 2008. However, Clark was ruled out for the season. Bona was cleared to return in their opener, but he did not play in the 86–53 rout over No. 15-seed UNC Asheville. He played in the second round against Northwestern, which UCLA won to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the third straight season. The Bruins were eliminated 79–76 by third-seeded Gonzaga. UCLA led by 13 points at halftime, but were down by 10 in the second half with 2:40 remaining. They outscored the Bulldogs 14–3, culminating with a three-point field goal by Bailey to take a one-point lead. However, Gonzaga's Julian Strawther made a 35-foot (11 m) basket with six seconds remaining, and they held on for the win. Bona sat out the game due to his shoulder. The game was rematch of the schools' Final Four matchup from 2021, also won by the Bulldogs, on a 40-foot (12 m) buzzer beater by Jalen Suggs to end the game. It was the Bruins' third consecutive loss to the Bulldogs in as many seasons.