UCLA falls out of AP poll after losses at Washington, WSU

The UCLA men’s basketball team has crept into the national rankings twice this season — only to fall out the following week.

After entering the weekend at No. 25, the Bruins are again unranked after back-to-back losses at Washington and Washington State, teams that were picked to finish 11th and 12th in the conference, respectively. This is the second straight year that UCLA has started 0-2 in conference play, but just the third time that has happened to the program since 1987-88.

No. 7 Arizona, which visits Pauley Pavilion at 6 p.m. Thursday, is the only ranked team in the Pac-12.

The Bruins are now projected as a No. 9 seed on ESPN’s NCAA Tournament bracket, and a No. 12 seed on CBS Sports.

UCLA falls out of AP top 25 after loss to North Carolina

A week after debuting at No. 22, UCLA has dropped out of the AP poll following its 89-76 loss to North Carolina.

That Saturday game bumped the Tar Heels up to No. 7. Two of the Bruins’ four losses have come against current top-10 teams, with the other being No. 2 Kansas.

The only ranked Pac-12 teams are No. 8 Arizona and No. 24 Utah.

UCLA men’s basketball returns to AP poll at No. 22

The UCLA men’s basketball team is back in the national top 25 for the first time in over a year, jumping up to No. 22 in the latest Associated Press poll.

The Bruins had last appeared in the poll on Nov. 24, 2014. Their return comes on the heels of a 71-66 win at then-No. 20 Gonzaga, dealing the Bulldogs just their 11th loss ever at McCarthey Athletic Center.

No other Pac-12 team is ranked except No. 13 Arizona. Oregon, Colorado and Utah received votes.

UCLA returns to Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Louisiana-Lafayette, and will play No. 11 North Carolina on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

UCLA finishes regular season unranked in AP poll

UCLA left tackle Conor McDermott, right, consoles quarterback Josh Rosen (3) as USC linebacker Porter Gustin (45) celebrates. The Trojans beat the Bruins, 40-21, their first win in the rivalry since 2011. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

UCLA left tackle Conor McDermott, right, consoles quarterback Josh Rosen (3) as USC linebacker Porter Gustin (45) celebrates. The Trojans beat the Bruins, 40-21, their first win in the rivalry since 2011. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

UCLA has finished the regular season unranked in the Associated Press poll.

This is a first for the Bruins under Jim Mora, who yesterday suffered their first loss to USC under the fourth-year head coach. The 40-21 decision at the Coliseum bumped the Trojans up to No. 24.

UCLA was also absent from the final AP poll in 2012, but was No. 17 before its 49-26 loss to Baylor in the Holiday Bowl.

The full AP poll is below: Continue reading “UCLA finishes regular season unranked in AP poll” »

UCLA falls out of AP poll after 31-27 loss to Washington State

UCLA has fallen out of the Associated Press poll for the second time this season.

The Bruins dropped out from No. 18 after their stunning 31-27 loss to Washington State last night, one that marked Jim Mora’s seventh loss to an unranked team — but his first time squandering a halftime lead in 32 tries.

They can still clinch a Pac-12 South title by beating Utah at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, and USC to end the regular season.

The Cougars moved up to No. 24, showing up in in the top 25 for the first time in nearly a decade. That last appearance came a day after their 37-15 win at UCLA on Oct. 28, 2006.

The full AP poll: Continue reading “UCLA falls out of AP poll after 31-27 loss to Washington State” »