UCLA's NCAA Tournament History as a No. 7 Seed UCLA has participated in 52 NCAA Tournaments throughout its storied history. This year, the Bruins are entering the tournament as a No. 7 seed, set to face No. 10 seed UCF in the first round on Friday at 4:25 p.m. PDT in Philadelphia. Since the NCAA began seeding teams in 1979, UCLA has been a No. 7 seed four other times, including last season. The Bruins’ performance as a No. 7 seed has varied over the years, with notable moments highlighting their resilience and occasional struggles. In 1989, under first-year head coach Jim Harrick, UCLA was seeded No. 7. Led by freshman Don MacLean, the team finished third in the Pac-10 with an 18-9 record. They defeated No. 10 seed Iowa State 84-74 in the first round, with MacLean scoring 23 points and Pooh Richardson Jr. adding 19. The Bruins advanced to the second round but fell to No. 2 seed North Carolina 88-81. Despite shooting 50% from the field, UCLA couldn’t contain North Carolina’s balanced attack, which saw five players score in double figures. The 1989-90 season saw UCLA again as a No. 7 seed, this time with freshman Tracy Murray joining MacLean and Trevor Wilson. The Bruins reached the Sweet 16 after a 18-9 regular season, though they lost the Pac-10 tournament championship to Arizona. In the NCAA Tournament, they beat No. 10 seed UAB 68-56, with Wilson leading all scorers with 23 points. In the second round, UCLA stunned No. 2 seed Kansas 71-70, with Murray hitting the final free throws. The team’s season ended in the Sweet 16 after a 90-81 loss to No. 3 seed Duke, where Wilson struggled with shooting efficiency. UCLA’s next No. 7 seed appearance came in 2013, during the final season of head coach Ben Howland. The Bruins, led by Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt, finished second in the Pac-12 with a 22-9 record.#ucla #ncaa_tournament #philadelphia #don_maclean #tracy_murray
