BREAKING: As Expected, UCLA Bounced From Latest Rankings

For the first time since the first week of December, UCLA men's basketball is not in the Associated Press Top 25.

Jan 10, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts from the sideline during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

UCLA men's basketball is currently on a major decline, having lost three games in a row and four of its last five contests.

As a result, the Bruins have fallen out of this week's Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll, both of which were revealed on Monday.

It's the first time since the week of Dec. 2 that UCLA is not in the AP Top 25. The Bruins entered the season ranked No. 22 before dropping after their loss to New Mexico in what was their second game of the season.

They would reclaim a spot in the AP Top 25 on Dec. 9 after upsetting then-No. 12 Oregon and eventually moved as far up as 15 following their win over then-No. 14 Gonzaga.

But things have gone south ever since.

UCLA was upset by Nebraska on the road on Jan. 4. Looking to bounce back with a home matchup against then-No. 24 Michigan, the Bruins were blown out, 94-75.

Then, on Friday, UCLA dropped its road meeting with Maryland, which gave it its fifth loss of the season. The Bruins have yet to win in the new year.

"I knew that it was going to be a real tough one [Maryland]," said UCLA coach Mick Cronin after the loss to the Terrapins. "We caught a bad break to open up at Nebraska without Eric Dailey and William Kyle. That hurt us, and we couldn’t make a shot. If we could have got that game, but it is what it is. At UCLA, you’ve just got to keep trying to get better. And in this league, you remember my old Big East days, I have been in these bloodbath leagues before. You have got to get through it and get to the NCAA Tournament. Everything else, like where you finish in it, that doesn’t matter. That’s how you just got to keep fighting through it. You’re going to have runs like this. It’s inevitable, unless you have a great team.”

The Bruins will look to get back on track when they take on Rutgers on the road on Monday.

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