WATCH: UCLA Bruins celebrate Sweet Sixteen berth

The vibes are immaculate for the UCLA Bruins after clinching their spot in the Sweet 16.

Mick Cronin’s squad defeated the Northwestern Wildcats by a score of 68-63 on Saturday, and they’re sights are now set on moving on to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Last year, the Bruins fell in a fantastic contest against the North Carolina Tar Heels, but now UCLA will look to do better than their 2021-2022 result.

However, the celebration is on for now. Check out the video below, where UCLA put their name on the board, advancing themselves to the next round in grand fashion.

This moment in the Bruins locker room 😅

UCLA moving on to the #Sweet16 pic.twitter.com/C2xAkYhAS2

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2023

Moreover, it was Jaime Jaquez Jr. who led the way for the Bruins, scoring 24 points and adding eight rebounds on the day to lead his squad. Additionally, Amari Bailey and his 14 points helped in a big way, along with Tyger Campbell’s 12 points and seven assists on the night.

As for Northwestern, their starting lineup did all they could to try to secure their spot in the Sweet 16. Boo Buie (18 points), Matthew Nicholson (17 points) and Chase Audige (16 points) all scored in double figures, but the rest of their squad came with only 12 points combined. The Wildcats had an impressive season and there’s nothing to hang their head about, but it has to sting being so close to victory and falling short.

Moving forward, UCLA has an interesting shot at the Final Four moving forward, as the No. 1 seed in their region, the Kansas Jayhawks, fell to the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday. Devonte Davis and his 25 points, along with Ricky Council IV’s 21 points was simply too much to overcome for the reigning champions of the sport, and Eric Musselman’s squad notched another victory over a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season.

The Razorbacks await the victory of Saint Mary’s and UConn, while the Bruins will face either the TCU Horned Frogs or Gonzaga Bulldogs. Either way, both squads that have already advanced in the West will have a tough task, but they’ll be ready.

UCLA has time to enjoy their Sweet 16 berth, but the work begins once again after the final buzzer in their opponents game on Sunday.