Bruins Deserve to be Ranked After Another Top-25 Win

The UCLA Bruins just took down their fifth ranked win of the season, defeating the No. 9 Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion. After being left out of the national rankings this past week, they have shown enough to be a Top-25 team.

Feb 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kobe Johnson (0) and guard Skyy Clark (55) celebrate with forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) after a basket during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (17-6, 8-4) have bounced in and out of the top 25 national rankings all season long and have gained the right to have a number next to their name once more. After defeating the No. 9 Michigan State Spartans (18-4, 9-2) on Tuesday, they have made a strong case to be ranked.

The Bruins are playing some of the hottest basketball in the country and may be on one of the best bounce back runs around the nation as well. After losing four straight to begin January, they have since ripped off six straight wins, including three against Top-25 opponents.

It has been a rollercoaster season for this group and they have suffered some uncharacteristic losses but have also won the biggest games on their schedule. They are now 5-1 against ranked opponents and continue to put the rest of the league on notice with their big game ability.

In a 63-61 win over the Spartans, UCLA scored its lowest total during this win streak but played incredible defense to come out with a win. It held Michigan State to nearly 20 points under their average of 80.5 points per game while forcing 16 turnovers for 19 points off those giveaways.

Sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. is quickly turning into one of the Big Ten's best and most consistent players this season as he nailed the game-winning shot to upset the Spartans in the final moments. He is also averaging 14 points and 4.2 rebounds per game across this six-game win streak.

Each win that UCLA is able to gain is valuable to its chances at a better seeding in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. But the ones that come against the best teams in the country mean even more and have helped this team gain experience for when they are fighting to make a Final Four.

The Bruins will play one more game this week before the updated AP national rankings are released at the beginning of next week. Regardless of a win or loss over the Penn State Nittany Lions (13-10, 3-9), they are very deserving a being a team ranked anywhere from No. 25 to No. 20.

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