Final Four! (3 in a row!)

You can’t luck your way into the Final Four. It takes a great team playing at its best to do it.

And that’s what UCLA did, beating Xavier 76-57 to advance to the Final Four. The Bruins dominated. They played great defense, played great offense, outrebounded and outshot Xavier.

They put to rest all those complaints that they were just getting lucky and weren’t that good, heard after their previous two wins, and the Bruins look ready to take on Memphis or Texas in the Final Four. Kevin Love and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute each had double-doubles — it was good to see Luc back in his usual form. Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook each had good scoring nights, and while Josh Shipp didn’t play great offensively, he definitely helped on defense.

To look at the big picture, it’s the third-straight year UCLA has made it to the Final Four. To make it to the Final Four three years in a row is even more incredible. Think of how many great college basketball teams there have been over the last few decades that didn’t accomplish this.

UCLA’s not done yet though. Here’s to two more wins in San Antonio.