UCLA has been selected No. 16 in the Associated Press men's basketball preseason poll, as announced Monday. The Bruins host an exhibition game this Tuesday evening before opening their regular season against Pacific on Friday, Nov. 11, in Pauley Pavilion.
 
The Bruins' exhibition game against The Master's University on Tuesday, Nov. 1, will begin at 7:30 p.m. The exhibition contest will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Network (Los Angeles).
 
UCLA returns four of its five starters from last season's team, which posted a 15-17 overall record and a 6-12 mark in Pac-12 action. Back from last season are senior guards Isaac Hamilton (16.8 ppg) and Bryce Alford (16.1 ppg). Hamilton enters the year as the league's top returning scorer. Alford begins his senior season as the conference's third-leading returning scorer behind Oregon's Dillon Brooks. Also back from last season's starting lineup are junior center Thomas Welsh (11.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and sophomore guard Aaron Holiday (10.3 ppg).
 
UCLA welcomes a talented trio of freshmen, all hailing from southern California – Lonzo Ball (Chino Hills High School), TJ Leaf (Foothills Christian High School in El Cajon, Calif.) and Ike Anigbogu (Centennial High School in Corona, Calif.). Both Ball and Leaf were McDonald's All-Americans during their senior year of high school. All three freshmen were ranked among the top 25 players, nationally, in their high school class by Scout.com and Rivals.com.
 
The Bruins are scheduled to play as many as five games against teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP's preseason poll. In addition, UCLA could play as many as 14 games against programs who are either receiving votes in the preseason edition of the poll.
 
UCLA will play at No. 2 Kentucky on Dec. 3 before twice facing No. 5 Oregon (Dec. 28 in Eugene, Feb. 9 in Los Angeles) and twice taking on No. 10 Arizona (Jan. 21 in Los Angeles, Feb. 25 in Tucson).
 
UCLA, Oregon and Arizona are the only Pac-12 programs ranked in this season's preseason AP poll. Other Pac-12 programs earning votes include California, Colorado and Washington.

This marks the first time in which the Bruins have been ranked in the AP's preseason poll since 2013-14 (ranked No. 22). UCLA was last ranked within the top 20 of the AP preseason poll in 2012-13, debuting as the No. 13 team.

2016-17 AP Preseason Poll