With the dismantling of the Pac-12, long-standing convention rivalries dwindled away with it. As UCLA heads to the Large Ten, Arizona is making its method over to the Large 12 convention, making matchups between the 2 much less probably. However, UCLA and Arizona males’s basketball are decided to take care of the rivalry regardless of becoming a member of totally different conferences this season.
The 2 colleges agreed to take part in a multi-game sequence that can encompass video games in three out of the subsequent 4 seasons. All three video games might be hosted at impartial websites. The primary sport might be on the finish of the yr on Dec. 14 on the Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Bruins’ head coach Mick Cronin eagerly awaits the upcoming sport towards the Wildcats. The UCLA males’s basketball program shared a quote by way of X from Cronin on dealing with Arizona.
“We stay up for dealing with Arizona subsequent season in Phoenix. It is a win-win state of affairs for each UCLA and Arizona, as we need to protect what has changed into a incredible basketball rivalry out West,” Cronin stated. “These are two colleges with sturdy basketball traditions and passionate fan bases, and it is necessary for us to search out methods to proceed enjoying one another.”
𝑼𝑪𝑳𝑨. 𝑨𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒐𝒏𝒂.
“We need to protect what has changed into a 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭.”
🏀🗣️ @CoachMickCronin
— UCLA Males’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) August 13, 2024
“I’ve a variety of respect for Tommy Lloyd and the job that he has performed the previous three seasons at Arizona. His groups are proficient and well-coached. Including Arizona to our schedule subsequent season will assist our group as we transfer into Large Ten Convention play,” Cronin stated.
As two of the highest Pac-12 males’s basketball groups, the UCLA-Arizona rivalry is a back-and-forth battle. The 2 colleges have confronted one another each season since 1979 however performed towards one another for the primary time in 1923, simply 4 years after the Bruins’ inaugural season. The all-time file, starting in 1923, is 88-65 with the Wildcats main.
Final season, UCLA and Arizona confronted one another twice. The Wildcats secured the victory each instances. Though the rating was shut within the first sport (77-71), the second sport had a a lot bigger margin within the closing rating (88-65). Arizona’s two wins over UCLA topped them because the Pac-12 common season champions, a feat the Bruins achieved the season prior.
Although the Bruins is not going to have an opportunity to reclaim the Pac-12 common season title from the Wildcats, the rivalry will stay on by means of the multi-season sequence for at the very least the subsequent 4 years.
