UCLA defeated UCF 75-71 in a first-round game of the 2026 men's NCAA Division I basketball tournament on March 20, 2026, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]

Late in the second half, Bruins senior guard Skyy Clark, a Los Angeles native who transferred to UCLA from Louisville ahead of the 2024-25 season,[2] caught a stray elbow from UCF forward Themus Fulks while both players dove for a loose ball, chipping half of one of Clark's front teeth.[1]

Clark received treatment from team staff before returning to the court. Walk-on guard Jack Seidler retrieved the chipped tooth fragment from the floor.[1]

"It definitely hurt," Clark said postgame. "I have a little lisp going on."[1]

Clark helped secure the victory by making a free throw in the final seconds. UCLA head coach Mick Cronin, who has led the Bruins since 2019,[3] praised Clark's resilience: "He looked so good in the locker room... Looks tough. In the locker room, smiling. There’s blood."[1]

Seidler called Clark's return "toughness right there," noting he played through the injury to aid the win.[1]

The win advances UCLA to the second round of the single-elimination tournament.[4]

Sources

1. Fox News Digital
   Article: UCLA guard Skyy Clark has a new smile after Bruins’ victory over UCF (draft reference)
   Publication date: March 21, 2026
   https://www.foxnews.com/sports
2. UCLA Athletics
   Title: Skyy Clark - 2024-25 Men's Basketball Roster
   Accessed date: October 2024
   https://uclabruins.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/skyy-clark/25185
3. UCLA Athletics
   Title: Mick Cronin - Head Coach
   Accessed date: October 2024
   https://uclabruins.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mick-cronin/2413
4. NCAA.com
   Title: Division I Men's Basketball Tournament
   Accessed date: October 2024
   https://www.ncaa.com/march-madness