UCLA Boasts Top Ranking in March Madness Projection

The Bruins enter the 2025-26 season as one of the most promising teams in college basketball.

Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) celebrates with guard Dylan Andrews (2) during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Mick Cronin's UCLA Bruins are entering the 2025-26 season with some of the most upside in college basketball.

In ESPN's latest Men's Bracketology: 2026 NCAA Tournament Prediction, Joe Lunardi has the Bruins as a 4-seed in the West (San Jose) Region of March Madness. UCLA is one of 11 Big Ten members projected to make the postseason. The other 4-seeds in Lunardi's prediction include Arkansas, Illinois and Auburn.

This is what UCLA's bracket looks like in the tournament projection:

1. Duke
2. BYU
3. Kentucky
4. UCLA
5. Gonzaga
6. Kansas
7. USC
8. Mississippi State
9. Maryland
10. VCU
11. Iowa/SMU
12. UC Santa Barbara
13. Utah Valley (Bruins' projected matchup)
14. Furman
15. Navy
16. SE Missouri State/Norfolk State

Following a stunning transfer portal that netted them Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent and Michigan State big man Xavier Booker, Mick Cronin addressed the issues that plagued them all season and is primed for Final Four contention.

ESPN College Basketball Analyst and legendary coach Dick Vitale actually projected the Bruins to be a top-10 team in college basketball in his recent 12-team power rankings.

RotoWire released it's college basketball preseason top-25 list and had UCLA ranked at No. 14, which is well around where national pundits have place the Bruins over the offseason (mostly covering around the top-10).

Here's what the curator of the list, Ryan Andrade, had to say about UCLA's placement and why he may not have them rated as highly as others do.

"UCLA brought in a ton of transfers prior to last season," Andrade said. "But for the most part it was a struggle for coach Mick Cronin to find a way for all the pieces to fit together, as the Bruins ended up just netting a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The group he has going into the 2025-26 campaign feels like the fit and cohesiveness is a lot more there.

"Leading the way is one of the top transfers in the country in Donovan Dent. The Centennial High School product was not recruited by UCLA, but after three seasons in New Mexico, he will be going back home. Dent had one of the highest usage rates of any player last year averaging 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per contest. He'll be the first lead guard Cronin has truly been able to lean on since Tyger Campbell...

"...UCLA might not have Final Four upside, but it will be a tough team to knock off once we get to Big Ten play."

Cronin is getting consistency out of his returners, the prospect of a second-year jump from Trent Perry, and the dynamism from transfer guard Donovan Dent. Not to mention landing Kansas City transfer Jamar Browns and Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker, who is a former five-star prospect.

ESPN projects the Bruins' starting lineup to consist of Dent, Clark, Perry, Dailey Jr. and Bilodeau.

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