After an unprecedented down year, UCLA basketball looks to get back to its winning ways in its Big Ten debut.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: UCLA basketball.
Ever since Mick Cronin took the UCLA job, the Bruins have experienced nothing but success. In his first tournament, they made it all the way to the Final 4, and the two tournaments after led to Sweet 16 appearances. That all changed last year, when started the season 6-10 and missed the tournament completely.
The only major piece UCLA loses is Adem Bona, a big one, but getting Andrews, Mack, and Stefanovic, who all averaged 10+ points a game last season back is massive. They also brought in a solid group of transfers to address their issues from last season. Kobe Johnson is the rare rivalry transfer, as the former USC Trojan hopes there is no bad blood as he suits up for the Bruins. They also bring in two OSU big men, one from Oklahoma State and one from Oregon State.
The starting lineup should be interesting. Andrews and Mack should be locks, unless Clark is special. Then, it’s a take your pick between Johnson, Dailey, Bilodeau, Stefanovic, and Mara for those other three spots. Expect a lot of different tests in the non-conference.
Speaking of the non-conference UCLA will have quite the battle. They’ll face three Top 25 teams, with the big one being against Gonzaga. These two teams play nothing but classics, and there’s no question we should see this again. Mick Cronin is a winner, and he is going to give the Big Ten a warm welcome with this UCLA basketball team.
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head coach: Mick Cronin (6th season at UCLA, 22nd season overall)
2023-24 record: 16-17 (10-10)
2024 postseason finish: No postseason
Notable departures:Â
- Adem Bona (12.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.2 APG)
- Berke Buyuktuncel (4.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.4 APG)
- Will McClendon (4.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.1 APG)
Notable non-conference games:Â
- vs. New Mexico (Nov. 28)
- vs. Arizona (Dec. 14)
- vs. UNC (Dec. 21)
- vs. Gonzaga (Dec. 28)
Projected Rotation
PG:Â Dylan Andrews (6-2, 180, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.9 PPG, 3.7 APG, 2.2 RPG, 80.8 FT%
SG: Sebastian Mack (6-3, 200, So.)
2023-24 stats: 12.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.3 SPG
SF: Kobe Johnson (6-6, 200, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 10.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 40.4 FG% (USC)
PF: Eric Dailey Jr. (6-8, 230, So.)
2023-24 stats: 9.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 49.6 FG% (Oklahoma State)
C: Aday Mara (7-3, 240, So.)
2023-24 stats: 3.5 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.5 APG
6: Lazar Stefanovic (6-7, 190, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 11.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 38.9 3P%, 86.8 FT%
7: Tyler Bilodeau (6-9, 230, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 14.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 53.3 FG%, 34.5 3P% (Oregon State)
8: Skyy Clark (6-3, 210, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 13.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 41.2 FG%, 35.3 3P% (Louisville)
9: William Kyle III (6-9, 230, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 13.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.6 BPG, 62.3 FG% (South Dakota State)
10: Dominick Harris (6-3, 190, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 44.8 3P% (Loyola Marymount)
UCLA Basketball Team MVP: Dylan Andrews
You can put about seven players as the Team MVP for UCLA and no one would bat an eye, that’s how balanced this team is. However, the nod goes to Andrews, specifically for how he finished the season. In the final 14 games of the season, he scored in double digits 13 times, compared to the first 18 games when he did it just seven times. In the final two games of the season, he scored 31 points and 24 points, both season highs. In that 31 point game, he shot 7-9 from three as well.
If he can build off that and become a 20-point-per-game scorer, watch out. Even if he gets to 17 a game, this team becomes significantly better. He needs to be a more efficient shooter, but if the end of the season showed anything, it’s that he can score.
UCLA Basketball make-or-break player: Aday Mara
UCLA was stoked to get Mara, the 7’3 Spaniard last year, but didn’t really use him. He averaged just under 10 minutes a game and watched his playing time decrease more and more as time went on. They had Bona, so his lack of production was fine, but with him gone, this was his chance to shine.
At 7’3, he is a nightmare on both ends, as teams don’t have anyone who can match his size. We saw another big man terrorize the Big Ten in the past few seasons, and he has the potential to do the same. The next tallest rotation player is 6’9, so that is obviously a huge change. If Mara can’t step up, UCLA has bigs, but it makes it difficult for UCLA to gain an edge.
Key analytic: FG%
UCLA’s field goal percentage was shockingly bad last year, shooting 41.6% as a team, which is the 300th best in the country. Bona was the only rotation player to shoot over 50%, and most of the team shot under 40%. The three years before that, they ranked 67th, 101st, and 55th. They brought in several newcomers who shot the ball well last year for their respective teams, so hopefully, they’ll get that number up and give themselves a better chance of winning.
UCLA Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 4th in the Big Ten
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Exit