2016 Wooden Legacy champions UCLA Reach the Sweet 16

Reigning Wooden Legacy champion UCLA saw its season come to an end in Memphis Friday as the third-seeded Bruins dropped an 86-75 decision to second-seeded Kentucky in a South Region “Sweet 16” contest.

The Bruins (Pac-12 Conference, 31-5), who defeated Kent State (97-80) and Cincinnati (79-67) during the first weekend of NCAA tournament play in Sacramento, were seeking their second win this season over the Wildcats (Southeastern 32-5). A week after defeating Texas A&M at Anaheim’s Honda Center for the Wooden Legacy trophy on Thanksgiving weekend, UCLA posted a 97-92 win at Kentucky.

UCLA was the ninth Wooden Legacy/Anaheim Classic champion to advance to the NCAA tournament in the same season. The Bruins are the third Wooden Legacy/Anaheim Classic champion to advance to a NCAA regional. Anaheim Classic 2009 champion West Virginia won the 2010 NCAA East Regional before losing to Duke in the “final four” semi-final. Wooden Legacy 2013 champion San Diego State earned a spot in the “Sweet 16” at Honda Center where the Aztecs dropped a game to Arizona.

The 2017 Wooden Legacy will be played at two sites in southern California November 23, 24, and 26. Titan Gym on the campus of Cal State Fullerton will host the first two days of the 2017 Wooden Legacy November 23 and 24. The placement games will be played November 26 at Honda Center in Anaheim.

Schools competing in the 11th annual event will be Cal State Fullerton (Big West Conference, 17-15 overall record), DePaul (Big East, 9-23), Georgia (Southeastern, 19-15), Harvard (Ivy League, 18-10), Saint Joseph’s (Atlantic 10, 11-20), Saint Mary’s (West Coast, 29-4), San Diego State (Mountain West, 19-14) and Washington State (Pac-12, 13-18).