Will UCLA's Mara's Minutes Remain When Bilodeau Returns?

UCLA sophomore Aday Mara has played great in junior forward Tyler Bilodeau's absence. Will Bilodeau's eventual return affect Mara's increased minutes?
Jan 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) drives to the basket between UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) and UCLA Bruins center Aday Mara (15) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Jan 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) drives to the basket between UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) and UCLA Bruins center Aday Mara (15) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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UCLA has stepped up admirably without the presence of its best player, junior forward Tyler Bilodeau.

Multiple Bruins have excelled in Bilodeau's absence -- namely sophomore center Aday Mara.

With that considered, Bruins coach Mick Cronin will have to decide how the minutes will be distributed when Bilodeau returns to action.

But Cronin doesn't view it as an issue.

 "I think maybe the Boston Celtics got too many good players," Cronin said during his media availability on Wednesday. "I don't see that we have anybody on the draft lottery board. I love my guys, they're great. ... Aday's playing better, but I don't see anybody picking us for the Final Four."

"Strategically, things -- if you look back, there were times where we played a Aday and Tyler together. I think Eric [Dailey Jr.] played too much in the USC game. … Some guys, they’re going to give you what they're going to give you, whether they play 27 minutes or 36 minutes. So, that extra 9, they don't give you anything because they're tired, and they hurt your defense. Whether it's Mick Cronin or Elmer Fudd out there. I mean, the name of the person’s, irrelevant. There's very few guys -- Kobe’s [Johnson] an exception, Jaime Jaquez, seniors, usually it’s a senior -- they could play huge minutes with no drop-off.

"So, I don't see it as a problem. I see the problem the other way. I see, ‘Oh, hopefully, now, with Aday, we don't have to play guys that shouldn't be out there.’ Right? Because you got to make sure you got guys out there that are being effective. They're not just out there to be out there. So that's how I look at it anyway. So I think the more pertinent point of all that is, can Aday and Tyler play together? Defensively, can Tyler – he’s going to have to play out on the floor more for his mobility standpoint. Which, obviously, Eric can do that. That’s the bigger issue. So, that’s the problem."

We'll see how Cronin decides to go about that when Bilodeau does return. His status for the Bruins' game against No. 16 Oregon remains to be determined.

Bilodeau suffered an ankle injury early in UCLA's game against Washington last week and was out for its meeting with USC on Monday.

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