No. 7 seed UCLA beat No. 10 seed UCF 75-71 in a first-round game of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 20, 2026, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In the first half, with under two minutes remaining and the shot clock winding down, UCLA guard Donovan Dent missed a desperation three-pointer. UCF center John Bol, a 7-foot-2 player, tapped the rebound into his own team's basket, extending UCLA's lead to 35-21. The two points were awarded to UCLA but not credited to any UCLA player.
Bol finished with two points on the night while going 0-for-5 from the free-throw line. During the game, UCLA guard Skyy Clark lost a front tooth.
UCF rallied late from a double-digit halftime deficit but fell short. Jordan Burks led UCF with 22 points and six rebounds. Riley Kugel added 13 points, while Jamichael Stillwell and Themus Fulks scored 10 points each.
Eric Dailey Jr. topped UCLA with 20 points and five rebounds. Trent Perry and Xavier Booker each scored 15 points.
UCLA, representing the Big Ten Conference, advances to the Round of 32 to face No. 2 seed UConn on Sunday at 8:45 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. UCF, from the Big 12 Conference, was eliminated.
| Team | Player | Points | Rebounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCF | Jordan Burks | 22 | 6 |
| UCF | Riley Kugel | 13 | - |
| UCLA | Eric Dailey Jr. | 20 | 5 |
| UCLA | Trent Perry | 15 | - |
| UCLA | Xavier Booker | 15 | - |
Sources
- Encyclopædia Britannica / Wikipedia: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia). Accessed 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Fargo_Center_(Philadelphia)
- Wikipedia: UCLA Bruins men's basketball. Accessed 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCLA_Bruins_men%27s_basketball
- Wikipedia: UCF Knights men's basketball. Accessed 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCF_Knights_men%27s_basketball
