The UCLA men's basketball team will play 11 non-conference games in 2021-22, highlighted by matchups against Villanova and Gonzaga in November before a CBS Sports Classic contest against North Carolina in mid-December.

The Bruins have finalized their first 13 games of the 2021-22 season, including a pair of previously announced Pac-12 matchups versus Colorado (at home) and Washington (in Seattle) during the first week of December.

"We're excited to get back on the court, and we're looking forward to seeing our fans again," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "I know that our players want to compete in big games. That's why these young men want to play for the Bruins. They want to play on college basketball's biggest stage, under the brightest of lights, and we had multiple opportunities to experience that last March. I've said this a lot since last season, but we really miss our fans, and we're relying on their support."

UCLA's complete 31-game schedule with game times and TV broadcast details will be finalized in September. The Bruins are scheduled to play 17 games at home, three games at a neutral site in Las Vegas, and 11 road contests.

UCLA will open the 2021-22 regular season with four consecutive home matchups. The opening contest against CSU Bakersfield is set for Tuesday, Nov. 9, in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. UCLA will also welcome Villanova (Nov. 12), Long Beach State (Nov. 15) and North Florida (Nov. 17).

The matchup against Villanova in Pauley Pavilion will mark the sixth overall meeting in the all-time series – and just the second contest between UCLA and Villanova in Pauley Pavilion. Villanova, the 2021 Big East Conference regular season champions, last played against UCLA in Nov. 2010 (in New York, N.Y.) and previously faced the Bruins in Pauley Pavilion during the 2000-01 season.

UCLA will travel to Las Vegas during the week of Nov. 21-27, taking on Bellarmine (Nov. 22) and Gonzaga (Nov. 23) in the Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project presented by Continental Tire. Those two matchups will take place at T-Mobile Arena. UCLA will conclude a home-and-home series at UNLV on Saturday, Nov. 27.

Pac-12 play will begin for the Bruins with a pair of early December matchups against Colorado (Dec. 1) and Washington (Dec. 5, in Seattle). UCLA will travel to Milwaukee to face Marquette at Fiserv Forum on Saturday, Dec. 11.

UCLA will return home to host Alabama State (Dec. 15). The Bruins' CBS Sports Classic game against North Carolina will take place on Saturday, Dec. 18. Game time that day is at 12 p.m. (PT). UCLA's final non-conference contest will take place against Cal Poly (Dec. 22) in Pauley Pavilion.

The Bruins' remaining 18-game Pac-12 Conference schedule will begin during the week of Thursday, Dec. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 2. The team's complete 31-game schedule, including all 20 Pac-12 games, will be finalized in September.

NOTES ON THE OPPOSITION: Five of UCLA's non-conference opponents finished in the top half of their respective conference standings in 2020-21. CSU Bakersfield finished fifth in the 10-team Big West Conference, posting an overall record of 15-11 (and 9-7 in league play). Villanova won the Big East Conference, going 11-4 in league play and 18-7 overall. Bellarmine and North Florida finished in second and fourth place, respectively, in the ASUN Conference. Bellarmine went 14-8 overall (and 10-3 in conference play) in its first year at the Division I level. Gonzaga won the West Coast Conference, compiling a 31-1 overall record and a 15-0 mark in the WCC. North Carolina tied for fifth place in the 15-team Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Tar Heels registered an 18-11 overall record and a 10-6 mark in ACC action.

IN THE PAC-12: This will mark the second season in which the Pac-12 Conference will utilize a 20-game schedule. Last season, the Bruins went 13-6 in league play (fourth place). This season, the Bruins will not host Utah in Pauley Pavilion and will not play at Washington State. UCLA opens its Pac-12 slate against Colorado in Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday, Dec. 1. The Bruins will travel north to face Washington on Sunday, Dec. 5. The Pac-12 will continue with its remaining league games during the week and weekend of Thursday, Dec. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 2.

Click for a complete UCLA MBB schedule for 2021-22 in PDF format.