UCLA Basketball: Bruins Non-Conference Schedule Drops Ahead of Crucial Season

The Bruins will play 11 non-conference games this year.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA men's basketball has released the full list of the 11 non-conference games they will play during the 2024-25 season. After an exhibition game against Cal State L.A. on Oct. 30, the Bruins open up their season with a home game against Rider University on Nov. 4.

𝐔𝐂𝐋𝐀'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 ...

The Bruins’ schedule of 11 non-conference games has dropped.

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As part of their non-conference slate, the Bruins will have home games against Boston University on Nov. 11, Lehigh on Nov. 15, Idaho State on Nov. 20, Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 22, Southern Utah on Nov. 26, and Prairie View A&M on Dec. 17.

The non-conference slate additionally includes four neutral-site games which have already been announced. This begins with the Bruins' second game of the season against New Mexico on Nov. 8 in Henderson, Nevada. UCLA then faces Arizona, North Carolina, and Gonzaga in games over three consecutive weeks. They will take on Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona on Dec. 14, North Carolina on Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden, and Gonzaga on Dec. 28 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

The non-conference schedule does include travel, but no true road games at an opponent's home stadium.

"Our team has had a productive summer, and I know that our players can't wait to get into Pauley Pavilion," head coach Mick Cronin said in the press release. "We have a lot of work ahead in these next two months, but I am excited about this group. Our non-conference schedule helps our team stay in the West and gives our fans here a chance to watch us in person, whether that's at UCLA, down in Inglewood, or in Henderson and Phoenix.

We anticipate at least two trips to the East Coast, including the game against North Carolina at Madison Square Garden, and we would love all our East Coast fans to come watch the Bruins," Cronin said. "We are less than 10 weeks from the season opener in Pauley Pavilion, and we're looking forward to what should be an exciting season."

The Bruins will also play two of their 20 Big Ten conference opponents in early December. They will play the rest of their 18 games against conference rivals starting on Dec. 30. The full schedule and dates for those games will be released in September.