How many times has the UCLA men’s basketball team won the NCAA title?

UCLA has a rich history in men’s basketball.

But when it comes to NCAA championships, that’s pretty much it: history.

Like in ancient history. Or pretty close to it.

The Bruins have won 11 national titles, more than any other school.

With the likes of Walt Hazzard, Gail Goodrich, Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton, legendary coach John Wooden led UCLA to 10 championships over a 12-year span from 1964 to 1975.

A roster that included Ed O’Bannon and Tyus Edney helped coach Jim Harrick claim another Bruins championship in 1995.

And that is. No banners were raised in the last 27 years and counting.

The Bruins have come close, with three consecutive trips to the Final Four between 2006 and 2008, including a loss to Florida in the 2006 Finals under coach Ben Howland.

But it took more than a decade for UCLA to get past the Sweet 16 again. And it happened during a season in which the Bruins barely made the tournament.

In 2021, sophomore coach Mick Cronin’s team snuck in as part of the NCAA First Four. Led by Johnny Juzang and with plenty of support from Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyger Campbell, Cody Riley and others, the Bruins proceeded to rattle off wins over Michigan State, Brigham Young, Abilene Christian and Michigan before losing a heartthrob in overtime to Gonzaga in the last four.

Jaquez and Campbell are members of the current Bruins team, which earned the No. 2 seed in the West Region and opens the 2023 tournament Thursday night at the Golden 1 Center against North Carolina Asheville.