UCLA Climbs to Ninth Place After Beating Arizona 84-75

UCLA moved from 22nd to 9th place in the first regular season AP poll released Monday, marking the program's highest ranking since the final poll of the 2022-23 season. The jump came after the Bruins defeated Arizona 84-75 in Las Vegas. Florida remained the number one team in the nation, holding its position from the preseason.

The Gators earned 53 of the 60 available first-place votes. Duke received the remaining seven first-place ballots. Florida has won its first two games, taking down then number 14 Miami and Jacksonville. The team faces Florida State next in a rivalry game. Head coach Todd Golden told reporters that the Gators are entering enemy territory and expect a well-prepared opponent.

UCLA's victory over Arizona was decided in the final minutes. Arizona's Ivan Kharchenkov scored a career-best 38 points to keep the game close. He helped narrow the gap to one point with 3 minutes and 11 seconds left. UCLA's Trent Perry scored 21 points to help the Bruins hold onto the lead. Coach Mick Cronin called the win massive, noting that Arizona usually averages close to 30 wins over the last three years.

Michigan State finished fifth in the rankings, replacing Arizona. Arizona fell seven spots to 12th place after the loss. Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd said the end of the season matters more than the start. He urged his team to remember the feeling of the loss as they face upcoming challenges. Connecticut finished fourth after beating then number 16 Michigan on Friday night in a rematch of the NCAA championship game.

Virginia climbed three spots to sixth place after winning three games last week, including a victory over then number 12 Arkansas. Texas and Houston took seventh and eighth places. Louisville moved up one spot to reach 10th place. Tennessee dropped three spots to 11th after beating Wofford. Arkansas fell seven spots to 18th after losing to Virginia. Michigan dropped four spots to 20th following its loss to UConn.