LOS ANGELES — NCAA tournaments are typically events pitting unfamiliar opponents together from around the country to find out who is the nation's best. But that won't be the case when No. 2 seed BYU (22-6) squares off against No. 3 UCLA (25-7) in Thursday's semifinal round.
Sure, both teams are considered two of the nation's best, considering their resumes compiled prior to the start of the tournament. The lack of familiarity, though, is definitely not there, and not solely due to the reason both have already played three times this year.
Throughout interviews leading up to Thursday's match, BYU players have mentioned how they grew up playing with or against a lot of the players on the Bruin roster.