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2024-25 UCLA Bruins Basketball Predictions and Odds to Win the National Championship

by Ryan Cobbett - 10/22/2024

UCLA Bruins basketball predictions Dylan Andrews

In their final season as a member of the Pac-12, the UCLA Bruins finished below .500 overall with a 16-17 record while going just 10-10 in the conference. UCLA struggled to find any momentum in their season as they went 0-5 against AP Top 25 teams while also racking up some silly home losses to Cal State Northridge and Stanford. The Bruins also squandered a six-game winning streak by following that up with a five-game losing streak which was their third losing streak that reached four or more games. They wound up being eliminated in the second round of the conference tournament and did not see anymore postseason play.

One of the biggest issues for the Bruins was their lack of depth and poor shooting. Dylan Andrews led the team with 12.9 PPG, while Adem Bona (12.4), Sebastian Mack (12.1), and Lazar Stefanovic (11.5) followed as the other Bruins to record double-digit PPG. However, behind Stefanovic was virtually no scoring. Forward Berke Buyuktuncel was fifth on the team in scoring with just 4.5 PPG. The Bruins ranked last in the conference in scoring averaging just 66 PPG on 41.9% shooting which ranked 312th in the nation. UCLA also struggled beyond the arc as they shot just 33.2% from deep, which was the third worst mark in the conference. They did lead the conference in defense, allowing just 65.5 PPG, but their inability to score on the other end really limited the potential of this team.

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UCLA Bruins Basketball Key Additions/Losses

Guard Will McClendon, who appeared in all 33 games last season, has left to join San Jose State, while Jan Vide also jumped ship for Loyola Marymount. Bona is now in the NBA, and Buyuktuncel transferred to a new Big Ten rival in Nebraska, leaving the Bruins with some depth questions.

With those questions, the Bruins got to work to boost this squad to relevance as they join a new conference. The Bruins brought in the ninth best rated transfer class this offseason with six commits. The biggest question mark is their post presence with Bona gone. And while they have big man Aday Mara on the roster, they have opted to go small and fast. UCLA brought in guards Dominick Harris (14.3 PPG with Loyola Marymount), Eric Dailey Jr. (9.3 PPG with Oklahoma State), Kobe Johnson (10.9 PPG with USC), and Skyy Clark (13.2 PPG with Louisville). In addition to the guards, they brought in two forwards as William Kyle III (13.1 PPG with South Dakota State) and Tyler Bilodeau (14.3 PPG with Oregon State) join the new and improved Bruins squad). Mick Cronin also went out and got four-star guards Trent Perry (McDonalds All-American) and Eric Freeny (ranked 76th nationally).

UCLA Bruins Basketball X-Factors

The New Conference- One could argue that the former Pac-12 was better and more competitive than the Big Ten in basketball. UCLA could benefit from that fact, especially when their new conference is not as deep as it was in previous years. Rutgers, Indiana, Purdue, and Illinois should all be highly competitive, and UCLA projects to be right up there with them after a busy offseason. They are nowhere near the favorites to win the conference. However, now with some more shooters, and a suffocating defense, the Bruins could be a huge threat in tournament play down the road.

The New Kids- First and foremost, Cronin wants to repeat and repolish a dominant defense. Johnson and Kyle III are quite capable of fitting into that mold for Cronin. Dailey Jr. and Clark provide shooting off the bench, joining Mack and Stefanovic on the second team which is a new weapon for Cronin as last years squad had no depth. Bilodeau also comes into town as the most efficient scorer of the bunch as he shot over 50% from the floor last season for the Beavers.

UCLA Bruins Basketball Notable Games

Home- Oregon, Michigan State

Away/Neutral- #10 Arizona, #9 UNC, #6 Gonzaga, #25 Rutgers, #17 Indiana, #14 Purdue

UCLA Bruins Basketball Key Odds:

NCAA Champion: +7500

Final Four: +1900

Conference Winner: +900

AP Top 25- 22nd

Andy Katz’s Power 37- 19th

KenPom- 26th

UCLA Bruins Basketball Predictions

The Bruins will be much improved from their 16-17 record last season and should be one of the Top Five teams in the Big Ten. This team has reached new heights offensively with their incoming transfers and will also have plentiful depth for Cronin to utilize to mix and match depending on their opposition. At +900 to win the Big Ten, the Bruins become an easy flier candidate. They lack the big name(s), but what they have is a veteran squad which should be one of the best defensive units in the nation, led by a veteran coach in Cronin who knows how to win and who will now reap the benefit of having nine capable contributors, not just the four he had last season. Veteran presence, suffocating defensive ability, depth, and a veteran coach is a great recipe for a deep run in March. Despite being ranked in the Top 25, UCLA is a highly underrated team heading into the season.

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