UCLA men’s basketball will open the season with a national ranking and a big early test waiting right behind it.
The Bruins came in at No. 22 in the preseason AP poll released Monday, landing as the No. 5 team in the Big Ten. Four league teams were ranked ahead of them: No.
3 Illinois, No. 6 Michigan State, No.
16 Michigan and No. 21 USC.
UCLA’s roster has a familiar backbone from last season, with starters Trent Perry, Eric Dailey and Xavier Booker all returning for 2026-27. The Bruins also went to the transfer portal for help, bringing in former Texas Tech guard Jaylen Petty, former Auburn big man Filip Jovic and former Mississippi State forward Sergej Macura.
There’s also a fresh wave of youth coming into the mix. The headliner among the freshmen is 17-year-old Serbian forward Nikola Kusturica, who is viewed as a 2028 NBA Draft prospect.
This group has the kind of makeup Mick Cronin tends to embrace. As Cronin told Bruin247 earlier this offseason, “I like every guy on our team. I look forward to coming to practice everyday.”
Before the games count, UCLA has two exhibitions lined up against Cal Baptist and San Diego. The Bruins also held a secret scrimmage against Fresno State over the weekend, and Petty stood out by scoring 22 points in a win. Jovic added 19 points in that scrimmage.
UCLA opens the regular season Monday, Nov. 2 against No. 5 Arizona in Las Vegas at 7 p.m. PT.
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UCLA's 6-0 Start Has Three Bruins Changing The Season Outlook
UCLAs unbeaten start got another boost at home against Wisconsin, and the Bruins are beginning to look less like a pleasant surprise and more like a team with real staying power. The win pushed them to 6-0, with Ty Dieffenbach giving the offense a steadier shape and Semaj Morgan continuing to emerge as a dependable target in the passing game.
Defensively, Jalen Woods was right in the middle of it, helping set the tone for a unit that kept Wisconsin from settling in. The combination of a more settled passing attack, a trustworthy receiving option and Woods presence on defense is changing how this team is being viewed, and UCLA now has the kind of balance that can carry a season much further than early optimism usually does. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Stayed Perfect But One Concern Just Got Harder To Ignore
UCLA kept its perfect run intact in Week 7 with a home win over Wisconsin, but the kind of issues that can linger into bigger games were hard to miss. The Bruins had to deal with a quarterback who created trouble as a runner, and that sort of dual-threat pressure is the type of wrinkle that can test a defense even when the result still goes in the win column.
The discipline piece was just as notable. UCLA was flagged eight times for 78 yards, the kind of self-inflicted damage that can quietly chip away at momentum as the schedule tightens. With Jayden Maiava waiting on the remaining slate and offering a similar rushing challenge, the Bruins may need a cleaner answer soon if they want to keep the same margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA's 6-0 Start Is Being Built On One Relentless Edge
UCLAs unbeaten start keeps looking less like a hot streak and more like a formula. The Bruins moved to 6-0 with a win over Wisconsin, and once again the difference came down to control: they kept drives alive, made the most of key situations and put their defense in position to dictate the flow of the game.
Wisconsin never found much rhythm on third down, and UCLAs own offense kept the pressure off by extending possessions and wearing down the clock. That kind of edge usually shows up in close games late in the season, but UCLA is building it now, and the bigger question is how long this version of the Bruins can keep turning those small advantages into wins. [Read more 🡒]