Tyler Bilodeau injury update: UCLA forward questionable for NCAA Tournament opener

UCLA‘s Tyler Bilodeau is questionable for the Bruins’ NCAA Tournament opener against UCF on Friday, per the NCAA’s injury report. He did not play in UCLA’s Big Ten Tournament loss to Purdue last week.

He’s UCLA’s leading scorer with 17.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and has been dealing with a knee injury. Bilodeau banged his knee up in the prior upset over Michigan State. It was feared at the time his injury may be serious, but that turned out to not be the case.

Bilodeau suffered the leg injury after colliding with Michigan State’s Carson Cooper. Bilodeau limped off the court with help from UCLA’s training staff. He immediately went to the team’s locker room and did not return for the rest of the game. Now, it appears he’s trending toward making his return, but we won’t know for sure until closer to game time.

Coming into the game, Bilodeau was averaging 18.1 points while shooting 51.6% from the field and 46.0% from 3-point range. For his efforts this season, he was named an All-Big Ten Third-Team selection.

Elsewhere on the injury report, both Riley Kugel and Jamichael Stillwell for UCF are questionable with undisclosed injuries ahead of Friday. Kugel is the Knights’ leading scorer with 14.4 points per game.

Notably for UCLA, guard Donovan Dent was not listed on the NCAA injury report. He’s been dealing with a calf issue and is the Bruins’ second-leading scorer at 13.5 points per game. Head coach Mick Cronin has been high on his game lately.

“He’s got a calf strain that seems to feel great the last couple days,” Cronin said leading up to the first-round matchup. “I hope it doesn’t rear up on him. We’re going to need him at his best to make a run.”

Tip-off between the Bruins and the Knights is set for 7:25 p.m. ET live on TBS. The winner plays either UConn or Furman in the second round with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.