UCLA Basketball: Bruins Fall in Power Rankings Ahead of Pac-12 Tournament

The Bruins have fallen in the power rankings ahead of their Pac-12 Tournament appearance.

The UCLA Bruins have had a rollercoaster of a season, with the team struggling mightily for a long time. The hope was that head coach Mick Cronin could shape the young team into winners, which started to happen again. 

The Bruins were on a six-game winning streak leading into the end of January and beginning of February. Sadly, that streak has gone in the opposite direction. The team now has four losses in a row, resulting in a drop in the power rankings. 

Out of the 12 teams in the Pac-12, the Bruins are now ranked #6. They had been #4, but this string of losses has caused the team to fall. 

Coach Cronin has been plenty upset with the team's recent losses, stating they are not "playing Mick Cronin basketball." Cronin has preached toughness all season, and that toughness began to show itself during the six-game win streak. 

Now, it appears the fundamentals have suffered a bit. The Bruins still have two more games left in the regular season to right the ship, which might also inspire the confidence they need to make it far in the Pac-12 Tournament.

They will need to win out in the tournament to be welcomed into the NCAA Tournament, which might appear a bit impossible at this juncture. Still, the Bruins have showed great heart this season, and they could still shock the world by banding together and winning out.