No. 23 West Virginia | No. 25 Baylor | Full list
No. 24: UCLA BRUINS
Last season: 15-17, 6-12 Pac-12
The Bruins were 15-17 last season, but they added two talented freshmen in pass-first point guard Lonzo Ball and skilled forward T.J. Leaf. Throw them in with Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton and Thomas Welsh, and there's no reason Steve Alford shouldn't have this program back in the NCAA tournament. -- Jeff Goodman
Best case: Sweet 16. Last season was an odd one in Westwood. The Bruins looked really good in beating Kentucky but never really got better. This season, there is a legit point guard in Lonzo Ball, a do-it-all guard who has done nothing but win in his career. Ball will free Bryce Alford to hunt shots and Isaac Hamilton to make plays. Inside, the Bruins have Thomas Welsh, a Redondo Beach kid with a terrific touch, and newcomer T.J. Leaf, a versatile big man who can play all over the floor. Expect UCLA to get back to basics and do the little things well, as a trip overseas helped solidify this summer.
Worst case: First-round exit. UCLA should be far better, but this is still a young team in a lot of ways. Steve Alford has always seen his teams get better through the season -- except last season, when the Bruins struggled from midseason on and won only 15 games. There is too much talent for a repeat of that finish.
