Big Ten Basketball: Iowa rises, Michigan State falls in updated WTE 2024-25 rankings

4. UCLA Bruins

The international-based experiment Coach Mick Cronin went for last season failed, with the team finishing under .500 in its final year in the Pac-12. Plenty of things have changed, with many role players transferring out, along with starting center Adem Bona entering the NBA Draft.

Who is back is the starting guard trio of Dylan Andrews, Sebastian Mack, and Lazar Stefanovic. Mack, who averaged 12.1 ppg as a freshman, is a breakout candidate to watch. Joining the guard depth is Louisville starting guard Skyy Clark, USC transfer Kobe Johnson, and Dominick Harris, who shot 46% from deep at LMU.

The frontcourt should have plenty of depth as well, led by Oklahoma State transfer forward, Eric Dailey Jr. Tyler Bilodeau comes from Oregon State, while William Kyle III is a physical big from South Dakota State. Plus, Devin Williams and Brandon Williams, who started 14 games last season, are also back.

UCLA will go from being one of the youngest teams in the country to one of the older ones, with plenty of depth inside and out. It’s hard to envision the Bruins having two straight bad years but the level of competition is going to rise in the Big Ten. But at least they have a roster filled with power conference-caliber talent.