Arizona and UCLA no longer share a conference, but they will make sure the Wildcats and Bruins continue to meet on the hardwood in the coming years.
The rivals announced a three-game series on Tuesday, beginning with a neutral-site meeting Dec. 14 in Phoenix.
Arizona, which moved to the Big 12, and UCLA, which headed to the Big Ten, also will play in the 2025 Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas and meet again in Los Angeles in 2027. The dates for those two are not yet finalized.
“For decades, Arizona-UCLA games have meant so much to our players, coaches and fans across the country,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said in a release. “Icons in the game of basketball have made this rivalry into one of the best in college basketball, and we look forward to adding the next chapters in the years to come.”
“It’s a win-win situation for both UCLA and Arizona, as we want to preserve what has turned into a fantastic basketball rivalry out West,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said in a statement. “These are two schools with strong basketball traditions and passionate fan bases, and it’s important for us to find ways to continue playing each other.”
The Bruins own a record 11 national titles in men’s basketball, with Arizona’s lone title coming in 1997. The programs have been to 52 and 38 NCAA Tournaments, respectively.
UCLA is 63-50 all-time against Arizona. They originally became conference rivals when Arizona joined the then-Pac-10 in 1978-79.
–Field Level Media
