UCLA Men’s Basketball: How Bruins Fare In New Pac-12 Preseason Poll

This might not age well.

In this year's Pac-12 preseason media poll, your UCLA Bruins came in third, trailing the Arizona Wildcats and USC Trojans. 

Arizona received 18 of 26 first-place votes, with USC and UCLA receiving four each. This comes after a 2022-2023 season where the Bruins went 31-6, winning the Pac-12 regular season title. While they fell narrowly short in the Pac-12 championship game to the Wildcats, they outperformed both them and USC in March Madness, where they advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive season. 

While UCLA eventually fell to Gonzaga on a Julian Strawther game-winning 3-point shot in the Sweet 16, the Bruins' postseason was marred by severe injuries to multiple key contributors. Both Adem Bona and Jaylen Clark were out for most (or all) of the tournament, capping UCLA's ceiling, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

With the Bruins returning only a couple of players from last season, including none of their key rotation pieces besides Bona, the concern of regression is undoubtedly there, and it appears the media believes so as well. 

To that end, however, head coach Mick Cronin has made the most out of talent before, and the same should be expected this season. 

The Bruins will play an exhibition game against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Halloween. They will open their regular season on November 6th, when they host Saint Francis University as part of a double-header with the UCLA women's team, who plays Purdue. 

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