December was just last month. But it feels like an eternity ago in Westwood.
Things appeared smooth sailing for UCLA men’s basketball as the new year ushered in hopes of a conference title in the team’s maiden Big Ten voyage.

Paint presence powered the Wolverines to a dominant victory against an overmatched and undersized Bruins squad on Tuesday. And against the Terrapins, the matchups in the post will once again take center stage.

This post was updated Jan. 4 at 3:18 p.m.
Lincoln, Nebraska, is no easy place to play.
Each of the previous 19 teams that have entered Pinnacle Bank Arena has met the same fate – defeat.

A Mick Cronin-led squad has yet to triumph over Gonzaga.
But if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
And again.
And again.
And again.

A battle between these two blue bloods happens once in a blue moon.
With 17 titles between the Bruins and Tar Heels, the two are some of the most recognizable brands in all of college basketball.

Sometimes, a fresh start is all you need.
After both teams missed out on the 2024 NCAA Tournament, a clean slate is just what was in order for the Bruins and the Huskies.

UCLA football (4-7, 3-6 Big Ten) will return to the Rose Bowl for one final game against Fresno State (6-5, 4-3 Mountain West) to close out the 2024 season.

This post was updated Nov. 24 at 8:20 p.m.
Mick Cronin’s first year as a Bruin head coach was nothing short of a rollercoaster. 
A 19-12 finish to the season featured a 77-74 loss to the Titans – a defeat that impelled Cronin to issue an apology for the team’s lackluster defensive performance. 
“I apologize to our fans for our defensive effort,” Cronin said after the 2019 game.

The only two Big Ten schools in Los Angeles – UCLA football (4-6, 3-4 Big Ten) and USC (5-5, 3-4) – will engage in a landmark crosstown showdown Saturday in a Battle for LA.

This post was updated Nov. 21 at 11:45 p.m.
To the victor goes the spoils.
And in the case of the crosstown cup, the Victory Bell is once again at stake.