A catch and shoot from beyond the arc.
A pull-up in the mid-range.
A slam dunk in the paint.
Tyler Bilodeau scored at all three levels UCLA defeated Cal Poly on Friday, 108-87. But the star forward’s three-level scoring display has become a sight Bruins fans have gotten used to this year, as he has put together arguably his best season yet.
The senior is pacing for 50-40-90 shooting splits, averaging 17.5 points and five rebounds as he shoots 53.3% from the floor, 44.7% from beyond the arc and 92% from the charity stripe.
Against Cal Poly, Bilodeau scored 24 points on 7-of-9 shooting and logged eight rebounds. He was 8-of-8 from the line.
“The coaching staff and my teammates believing in me and just trying to trust my work, and trusting my teammates,” Bilodeau said of the reasons for his uptick in efficiency. “That’s all I can do.”
Bilodeau has been primarily used as a power forward rather than a center, unlike last season, when he was more regularly forced into the five role out of necessity, and he’s thrived.
The Kennewick, Washington, native’s stats have jumped in most categories, but his progression from 71.7% to 92% from the charity stripe has been an especially welcome development for the Bruins.
Coach Mick Cronin said Bilodeau used to fall forward on his free throws, so they worked on his balance.
“Look, (Bilodeau’s) an unbelievable kid,” coach Mick Cronin said. “He's worked hard at it, and he's reaping the benefits.”
In a recent matchup against now-No. 7 Gonzaga, Bilodeau logged a season-high 24 points, reaching that mark early in the second half despite the eventual 82-72 loss. For much of that game, it seemed like he was singlehandedly keeping the Bruins afloat before they sank late in the second half.
Earlier this year, Bilodeau missed a pair of contests due to a knee injury, including a loss to Cal that sent UCLA out of the rankings. But when he came back against Washington, he provided the Bruins a much-needed lift in an 82-80 victory as he rattled off 16 straight points in the early second half.
Bilodeau frequently found switches onto smaller defenders and made the most of the opportunities, an emphasis for the Bruins this season.
“Even at (Bilodeau’s) position, there are really not a lot of people, if anyone at all, that low,” said senior guard Skyy Clark.
If Bilodeau continues to excel, he could receive draft consideration in the early summer. Some preseason mock drafts projected him as a second-round pick, while others didn’t rank him.
As a big man, Bilodeau’s shooting ability could boost his stock. But he likely has to demonstrate greater defensive prowess to climb the draft boards.
During summer workouts, Bilodeau said he added muscle and felt more athletic. Still, his defensive Bayesian Performance Rating — a measure of defensive value when a player is on the court — is just fifth on the Bruins’ roster.
As Cronin said, though, he’ll work hard at it.