UCLA’s 2026-27 Basketball Season Starts With Major Test

This year’s UCLA men’s basketball team won’t have much time to figure things out, as the Bruins will be thrown into the fire immediately with a neutral-site game in Las Vegas against the Arizona Wildcats as part of the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena.

It’s the third straight year the Bruins have played the Wildcats on a neutral floor during the nonconference slate, and they’ve played well in previous matchups. However, with Arizona coming off its first Final Four appearance since 2001, it might be the most important meeting yet.

Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd shouts toward the court in the first half of their Final Four game against Michigan at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 4, 2026. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What’s Returning for Arizona

Head coach Tommy Lloyd has turned the Arizona program around quickly, returning it to the upper echelon of college basketball. The 2026-27 season will help determine how long it stays there. The Wildcats had a relatively young team last season, featuring seven freshmen on the roster and three in the starting lineup.

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However, three of the five Arizona starters and five players out of its eight-man rotation are heading to the NBA, leaving center Motiejus Krivas and small forward Ivan Kharchenkov as the veteran leaders. Those two will make life difficult for UCLA’s Xavier Booker and Eric Dailey Jr., immediately exposing where things stand for those Bruin veterans.

Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) shoots over Arkansas Razorbacks forward Malique Ewin (12) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

The returning Wildcat starters are joined by transfer guards JJ Mandaquit (Washington) and Derek Dixon (UNC), who will attempt to make up for stars Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries. However, the two transfers…

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Publish date : 2026-06-09 10:00:00

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