UCLA will open the upcoming season ranked 22nd nationally in the Associated Press Top 25 men’s basketball preseason poll released Monday morning.
The Bruins, who feature a roster with six new transfers and return junior point guard Dylan Andrews, will play a schedule that includes three top-10 nonconference contests against No. 6 Gonzaga (Dec. 28 in Inglewood), No. 9 North Carolina (Dec. 21 in New York City) and No. 10 Arizona (Dec. 14 in Phoenix).
In all, UCLA will play six teams ranked in the preseason top 25 including Big Ten games against No. 14 Purdue (Feb. 28), No. 17 Indiana (Feb. 14) and No. 25 Rutgers (Jan. 13) — all on the road.
The Boilermakers were last season’s national runner-up.
Kansas topped the poll, collecting 30 of 60 first-place votes, followed in order by Alabama, defending national champion Connecticut, Houston and Iowa State to round out the top five.
UCLA will host Cal State Los Angeles in an exhibition contest Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. The Bruins will open the regular season Nov. 4 against Rider at Pauley Pavilion in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off that will air on Fox Sports 1.