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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

Preseason Prediction Has UCLA Falling Short of Final Four

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 8:00 AM ET

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.

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

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

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

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

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

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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