USC and UCLA head into Wednesday’s clash unranked

Wednesday’s matchup between UCLA and USC will be the most significant basketball game the rivals have played in years.

USC is second in the Pac-12 standings. UCLA has three signature wins this season. Both defeated then-No. 7 Arizona last week. The game at Pauley Pavilion will alter the Pac-12 race and bestow bragging rights to one team’s fans.

One hitch: Neither team is ranked.

The Associated Press top 25 was released on Monday, and USC was the first team left out. UCLA was two spots behind.

It’s a significant improvement for the Trojans, who haven’t been ranked since Nov. 17, 2008. Until this week, they hadn’t received a single vote all season.

But USC can make a compelling case it deserves a place in the top 25. It is 14-3. It has wins over Monmouth, Wichita State and Arizona. Its only losses are to No. 7 Xavier, Washington on the road and Monmouth in a rematch.

UCLA, meanwhile, has wins over Kentucky, Gonzaga and Arizona but was swept by Washington and Washington State a week ago. Its 11-6 record likely turned away some voters.

The upshot for either team: A win Wednesday would be another quality win. So one more prize could be at stake: a place in the top 25.

Twitter: @zhelfand