Big Ten Newcomers UCLA Favored To Win Conference

Bruins Bouncing Back

Ask any fan of UCLA, and they will tell you that their 2023-24 season was a massive disappointment considering all the recent success the program has had. They finished with a 16-17 record after going 31-6 the previous season, a steep drop-off. There were many problems this team faced last season, including having a complete roster overhaul after that 2022-23 season with a ton of big names headed to the NBA and running out of eligibility. This was generally a very young and inexperienced team last season, which clearly hurt them big time.

A year later, the Bruins find themselves in a new conference with the Pac-12 disbanding. However, oddsmakers already believe they are the class of the Big Ten, their new conference, listing them as +450 favorites over at BetMGM.

Talent Was Never The Issue

While it is true the Bruins were not a good basketball team last year, I never said that they weren't a talented team. They had some of the best talent in the Pac-12, but the problem was that they were all young and the competition leap was too much for many players right away. Now, with a year of experience under their belts, UCLA has a lot of returning players that will likely have big development boosts heading into this season.

Guard Dylan Andrews led UCLA in scoring per game with an average of 12.9 points, while also averaging a team-high 3.7 assists as a sophomore. I expect his numbers to be even better in 2024-25, and for him to take that leap into stardom. The return of Lazar Stefanovic will also be a big asset as a true veteran presence in his senior year after averaging 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds in his junior campaign. I will also be looking for growth from center Aday Mara, who is 7'3 and a towering presence underneath. While he only averaged 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds, he also collected 20 blocked shots as a true freshman.

The transfer portal addition of guard Skyy Clark from Louisville is also a big get, as is Eric Dailey Jr. from Oklahoma State.

Best Bet

With the Big Ten suffering several losses this past off-season, guys like Terrance Shannon Jr., Zack Edey, and AJ Storr all leaving for the NBA or another school, it feels more wide open than ever as to who will win the conference. I am not quite ready to anoint UCLA or anyone as the class of the conference just yet, but the Bruins certainly are going to be a far better team in 2024-25 than they were last year.