Orange County Register

UCLA was picked to finish third in the Pac-10 this season, according to the preseason poll released this morning.

Cal was tabbed as the preseaon favorite to win the conference, garnering 25 first-place votes. Washington, which won the conference last season, is picked to finish second. USC was ninth.

Cal finished fourth in last season’s conference race but returns four starters and 94 percent of its scoring. Jerome Randle, who averaged 18.3 points per game in 2008-09, will lead the Golden Bears. He and Patrick Christopher were all-conference selections last season.

The Bruins finished third last season but lost the majority of their experienced players. They will return three seniors and no juniors. Nonetheless, they picked up five first-place votes in the preseason poll.

Here’s a look at the poll:

1. Cal (25 first-place votes)

2. Washington (7)

3. UCLA (5)

4. Arizona

5. Oregon State

6. Oregon

7. Arizona State

8. Washington State

9. USC

10. Stanford

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