Time Announced for UCLA's In-State Rivalry Rematch

The game time has been announced for UCLA's regular-season finale and a rematch with its bitter rival, USC, happening in just over a week. It is shaping up to be a primetime matchup in Westwood.

Jan 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) dribbles the ball against Southern California Trojans guard Chibuzo Agbo (7) and forward Saint Thomas (0) in the first half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (20-8, 11-6) are just over a week away from a much-anticipated rematch with hated rivals, the USC Trojans (14-13, 6-10), at Pauley Pavilion on March 8. After being "to be determined" all season, a primetime tip-off and broadcast network has finally been announced for a potentially crucial game.

On Tuesday, UCLA announced that its rivalry rematch will take place at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT on FOX. The game has occupied the primetime slot of a Saturday night, and all eyes will be on the Bruins, who may have an opportunity for a pivotal win that night.

⏰ 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 ⏰
 
UCLA’s regular-season finale against USC on 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟖, will begin at 𝟓 𝐩.𝐦. 𝐏𝐓 and will be nationally televised on FOX.
 
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 #GoBruins 🏀 pic.twitter.com/vHQutRQ2Nw

— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) February 25, 2025

In the first meeting of the Crosstown Showdown that occurred just under a month ago, the Bruins earned an 82-76 road win to improve to 15-6 and 6-4 in Big Ten play.

Sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with 16 points, while sophomore guard Sebastian Mack added 14 off the bench.

The Trojans will certainly be looking for redemption, as it will likely be their postseason hopes are limited. They will be one of the final teams to sneak into the Big Ten Tournament but have almost zero chance to make the NCAA Tournament unless they were to win the conference tournament.

For UCLA, there is a potential chance that it could be playing for an extra few rest days when it faces its rival in the regular-season finale.

Depending on how the rest of the top Big Ten teams perform down the stretch, the Bruins may have a chance to earn a win that would make them a top-four conference team. They would then earn a double-bye in the Big Ten tournament, avoiding one extra game to play.

With the Bruins being on the West Coast, many of their home games take place in the late hours of the night, which can bring down viewership in the other time zones around the country. They will not worry about that against USC, as all college basketball eyes will be on the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA currently sits at 20-8 on the year, with an 11-6 record in conference, while USC is 14-13 with a 6-10 record in Big Ten play.

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