21. UCLA (10-2)
There has been plenty of reason for celebration at UCLA in recent years even if last season was a significant disappointment. Now four years removed from that Final Four run, the Bruins have some new pieces and new surroundings as members of the Big Ten and are living up to early expectations, though this past week put a slight crimp in that early buzz.
The Bruins started the week on the right foot, getting an easy 111-75 win over Prairie View A&M on Tuesday night. Dylan Andrews had 21 points and 6 assists while Tyler Bilodeau added 18 points in the Bruins’ highest offensive output of the season. The trouble brewed Saturday at Madison Square Garden, as UCLA lost 76-74 to North Carolina during the CBS Sports Classic. Bilodeau starred with 26 points but a waste halftime lead and rough finish doomed the Bruins for their second loss on the year.
Even with that tough ending in New York, UCLA has still looked like a meaningful team, especially with those wins away from home over Arizona and Oregon in recent weeks. There’s still a lot to prove from a roster that’s still coming into its own and they’ll get plenty of chances down the line. Even before Big Ten play begins in earnest, the Bruins have one more significant nonconference test next Saturday against Gonzaga.