Ranking UCLA Basketball’s 3 Most Important Games This Season

The Bruins recently released their full schedule for the 2026-27 basketball season, and it seems to be a tough year on the horizon.

By the end of February, the Bruins will have gone through a gauntlet of fantastic Big Ten teams and should be battle-tested and ready for the Madness in March. At first glance at their schedule, three games stand out, each for particular reasons.

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Vs. Arizona – Nov. 2, Las Vegas, NV

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) reaches for the ball against Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

UCLA opens the season with one of the toughest games on the schedule against a loaded Arizona team coming off a trip to the Final Four the previous season.

UCLA will take on Arizona at a neutral site, immediately showcasing the talent of this new-look roster. Projected starting center Xavier Booker will immediately be tested in the frontcourt against an elite opponent in Motiejus Krivas.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) reacts against the UConn Huskies in the first half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bruins will learn a lot from this first matchup, and it will be a great chance to see what the season may look like for UCLA. Playing elite teams early will likely speed up chemistry and help the new roster gel quickly.

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Vs. Gonzaga – Dec. 5, Anaheim, CA

Like the Arizona matchup, UCLA will meet Gonzaga in a neutral environment early in the season.

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few during action against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Nov. 14, 2025, at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The main difference…

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Publish date : 2026-09-23 13:30:00

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