Preseason Prediction Has UCLA Falling Short of Final Four

The Bruins are one the top teams in the nation, but have routinely been underrated by analysts.

Mar 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin (center) talks with guard Skyy Clark (55) and guard Lazar Stefanovic (10) in the second half against the Southern California Trojans at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2025-26 men's college basketball season is upon us, and the UCLA Bruins are projected to be one of the teams with the highest ceilings of the year.

The anticipation stems from a stellar offseason where coach Mick Cronin not only retained some key returners but also bolstered the roster through a few impactful additions in the transfer portal, like reigning Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent, turning UCLA into the No. 12-ranked team in preseason polls.

However, many national outlets and college hoops analysts feel the Bruins are being a tad bit overrated, including ESPN's Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello, who ranked 80 of the NCAA's teams ahead of the season by their potential in March Madness.

UCLA was placed in the third tier, which was for teams that they project to be "second-week threats" and fall short of reaching the Final Four. The ranking is an improvement on the Bruins' last season, but is still projecting them to fall short of the overally goal.

Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts during the first 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

Teams Alongside UCLA in Tier III

• Arizona Wildcats
• Illinois FIghting Illini
• UCLA Bruins
• Gonzaga Bulldogs
• Alabama Crimson Tide
• Iowa State Cyclones
• Auburn Tigers
• Wisconsin Tigers
• Tennessee Volunteers
• Kansas Jayhawks
• Creighton Bluejays
• Michigan State Spartans

Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) scored 26 points as the Jayhawks beat host Louisville 90-82 during an exhibition game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Friday, October 24, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bruins as a team have been rated pretty high regardless of where many analyst feel they belong. In the same breath, the UCLA stars are among the top players in college basketball.

Dent, Dailey, Bilodeau Well-Regarded in Top 100 Rankings

ESPN brought in the new season by ranking college basketball's top 100 players going into the new year. Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf meticulously curated the rankings and three Bruins made the list.

Here are which UCLA stars made the rankings and what Borzello and Medcalf had to say about them ahead of this season.

9. Donovan Dent | Point Guard | Senior

Mar 23, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent (2) shoots the ball over Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) in the second half during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

"There won't be too many more transformative transfers than Dent, who should singlehandedly change coach Mick Cronin's offense. He's among the nation's toughest players to keep out of the lane, consistently beating his defender to get into the paint and then either finishing in traffic or dishing to an open teammate. He ranked in the top 15 nationally in both scoring (20.4) and assists (6.4) last season at New Mexico." -- Borzello

69. Eric Dailey Jr. | Guard/Forward | Junior

Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) drives to the basket against Utah State Aggies guard Dexter Akanno (7) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

"Provided Dailey's knee injury is as minor as coach Mick Cronin made it sound earlier this month, Dailey looks poised to continue his upward trajectory. He immediately slotted into the UCLA starting lineup last season after transferring from Oklahoma State, and became one of the most efficient offensive players in the country. He averaged 11.4 points in just 23.6 minutes, shooting nearly 51% from the field and 38% from 3." -- Borzello

78. Tyler Bilodeau | Forward | Senior

Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) and UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) go for a rebound during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

"After Mick Cronin's viral rant about his team's lack of toughness during a four-game losing streak last season, the Bruins went on to win 12 of their next 17 games. During that stretch, Bilodeau finished in double figures 12 times. The 6-9 forward is a unique threat (42% from beyond the arc in conference play) who could help Cronin's team battle for the Big Ten crown." -- Medcalf

---

Make sure to bookmark UCLA Bruins On SI to get all your daily UCLA Bruins news, analysis and more!

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI and @cmorenoNBA to keep up with every story surrounding UCLA athletics!

Please let us know your thoughts on this when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.