UCLA men’s basketball ranked 18th in preseason coaches poll

Head coach Steve Alford (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

The UCLA men’s basketball team checked in at No. 18 in the USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll released Thursday.

Arizona, the media’s preseason pick to win the Pac-12, led the three Pac-12 schools in the coaches poll by checking in at No. 5, followed by USC at No. 11. Oregon also received 12 votes.

After advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years, the Bruins lost four starters. Center Thomas Welsh is the lone returning starter while point guard Aaron Holiday returns as the team’s leading scorer. UCLA will lean on its highly touted freshman class that includes McDonald’s All-Americans Kris Wilkes and Jaylen Hands.

The Bruins open their season on Nov. 10 against Georgia Tech in Shanghai at 8:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.