UCLA Ranked No. 18 in USA Today Preseason Poll

UCLA has been selected No. 18 in the preseason USA Today men's basketball coaches poll, as announced Thursday. The Bruins will open the regular season against Georgia Tech in Shanghai, China, on Friday, Nov. 10.
 
The Bruins return seniors Thomas Welsh and Gyorgy "G.G." Goloman and junior Aaron Holiday from last year's eight-man rotation. In addition, UCLA has welcomed back redshirt sophomore Prince Ali and Alex Olesinski, who both took redshirt years in 2016-17.
 
Welsh (10.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg), Holiday (12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.4 apg) and Goloman (3.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg) played central roles for a UCLA squad that went 31-5 overall last season. That trio of veterans helped the Bruins post a 15-3 record in Pac-12 play before UCLA advanced to its third NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance in four years.
 
UCLA has welcomed seven freshmen this year, an incoming group that has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation by various scouting services. The incoming class features McDonald's All-Americans Jaylen Hands (San Diego) and Kris Wilkes (Indianapolis, Ind.). Also joining the Bruins' program are guards LiAngelo Ball (Chino Hills, Calif.), Chris Smith (Chicago, Ill.) and Joseph Wallace (Woodland Hills, Calif.). Adding to UCLA's frontcourt are big men Cody Riley (Kansas City, Kan.) and Jalen Hill (Corona, Calif.).
 
The Bruins are scheduled to play as many as 11 games against teams that are ranked in the poll's top 25 or have received votes. UCLA will play at least five games against teams that have been ranked in the top 15 of this season's preseason poll.
 
UCLA's schedule includes a non-conference game in New Orleans against No. 4 Kentucky as part of the CBS Sports Classic (Dec. 23), a non-conference home contest against No. 13 Cincinnati (Dec. 16) and Pac-12 contests against No. 5 Arizona (Feb. 8 on the road) and No. 11 USC (Feb. 3 at home, March 3 on the road).
 
UCLA's season opener in Shanghai will take place at 8:30 pm PT (Pacific time) on Friday, Nov. 10. That game will be nationally televised on ESPN. The game will tip-off at 12:30 pm in Shanghai, locally, on Saturday, Nov. 11. UCLA will return to Los Angeles on Saturday, Nov. 11, and face Central Arkansas in Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday, Nov. 15, in the team's first regular-season home contest.
 
Last season, the Bruins went 31-5 overall after opening the year ranked No. 20 in the USA Today coaches preseason poll.
 
USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll