Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Where UCLA Stands

The Bruins are set up to be in one of, if not the hardest, conferences in college basketball this season.

UCLA will play many of the top teams in the country, and as Mick Cronin heads into his eighth season as head coach, this could be one of the toughest schedules he faces.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That said, let’s look at the first power rankings of the season for the Big Ten, ranking the top five teams that could be in the 2026-27 season.

Advertisement

1. Illinois

Illinois is a contender not only to win the conference but also the National Championship. They did have some key losses, such as Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell, but replaced them with significant talent and brought back many key players.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts against the Connecticut Huskies in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Their starting backcourt will consist of freshman point guard Quentin Coleman, Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks, and returner Andrej Stojakovic. In the frontcourt, they return David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic.

From top to bottom, this team is one of the best in the country, and head coach Brad Underwood has done a fantastic job with the Illini. I would expect this season to be no different.

Advertisement

2. Michigan State

Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo claps during the first basketball practice of the season on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tom Izzo’s Spartans are reloaded and will look to make a run at a National Championship. This team is built around star returner…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/big-ten-basketball-power-rankings-130008869.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-10-03 13:00:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.