The Bruins were picked to win the Pac-12 Conference in the preseason media poll released Thursday, the first time that’s happened in nine years. Stanford was picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12, followed by Arizona, USC, Colorado, Utah, Washington, California, Washington State and Oregon State. UCLA was picked eighth last season but finished second, only one game behind Oregon. The last time the Bruins were picked to win the Pac-12 they lost their 2011-12 season opener to Loyola Marymount and finished in a tie for fifth in the conference standings. The Bruins will bring back all five starters, including senior guard Chris Smith, a member of the preseason All-Pac-12 first team.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 12, 2020 18:01 UTC