Men's Basketball Ranked No. 8 in Preseason AP Poll

LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's basketball team has been ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press (AP) preseason top 25 poll, as announced on Monday.
 
UCLA went 27-8 in 2021-22 (and 15-5 in the Pac-12), defeating Akron and Saint Mary's in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet 16 (regional semifinals). The Bruins lost to eventual NCAA Tournament runner-up North Carolina, 73-66, in the Sweet 16 at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia.
 
The marks the second consecutive season in which UCLA will have opened the year ranked among the nation's top 10 teams in the AP poll. Last season, UCLA was ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP poll. The Bruins had not been ranked that high in the AP preseason poll since being slotted No. 2 in 2007-08, coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2006 and 2007.
 
The Bruins' 2022-23 team will return four of their top seven returning scorers from last season's team in seniors Jaime Jaquez Jr. (averaged 13.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Tyger Campbell (11.9 ppg, 4.3 apg) David Singleton (4.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg) and junior Jaylen Clark (6.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg).
 
Both Campbell and Jaquez Jr. secured first-team All-Pac-12 acclaim last season. In addition, Jaquez Jr. and Clark were among five players listed to the Pac-12's All-Defensive Team in 2021-22.
 
In all, UCLA has brought back nine players from its 15-man roster in 2021-22. Eight student-athletes are entering their third year in the Bruins' program. This will mark the fourth season at UCLA for head coach Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. Cronin and his coaching staff have guided the Bruins to a combined 68-30 record over the past three seasons.
 
UCLA is one of three Pac-12 programs to be ranked in the preseason AP poll, alongside No. 17 Arizona and No. 21 Oregon. In addition, USC has received votes in the preseason poll.
 
The top four teams listed in the AP preseason poll include (1) North Carolina, (2) Gonzaga, (3) Houston and (4) Kentucky. Baylor and Kansas are tied for the No. 5 slot, while Duke has been ranked No. 7. UCLA has been slotted No. 8, ahead of (9) Creighton and (10) Arkansas.
 
UCLA will open its regular-season schedule against Sacramento State on Monday, Nov. 7, in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Game time is 8:30 p.m. (PT). UCLA's complete schedule is available online by clicking here.
 
The Bruins will host one exhibition game the week prior, taking on Concordia University Irvine on Wednesday, Nov. 2, in Pauley Pavilion (7 p.m., PT).
 
The Bruins' 31-game schedule includes seven games against teams ranked in the AP preseason poll. That figure expands to nine games, including USC in the also-receiving-votes category. UCLA is set to face No. 4 Kentucky (in New York), No. 23 Illinois (in Las Vegas), either No. 5 Baylor or No. 18 Virginia (in Las Vegas). In Pac-12 play, the Bruins will face No. 17 Arizona twice and No. 21 Oregon twice.
 
Season tickets for the Bruins' 2022-23 campaign are on sale, with full season packages starting at $219 (click here). The "Choose Your Own 3 Pointer" mini-plan package, allowing fans to pick games that fit their schedule, is available by clicking here. UCLA season ticket and mini-plan packages can be purchased online or by calling (310) 206-5991.
 
Early-season single-game tickets will be available for purchase beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 18 (click here), or by calling the Central Ticket Office at (310) 825-2101. 

2022-23 PRESEASON AP POLL

 
Others receiving votes: Texas A&M (112), Connecticut (101), Miami (66), Purdue (56), Saint Louis (36), Michigan State (35), Florida State (32), Xavier (29), Wyoming (25), Ohio State (23), Iowa (13), Rutgers (4), Florida (3), USC (3), Toledo (1), Virginia Tech (1), Memphis (1), Notre Dame (1), UAB (1).