NCAA Basketball Report News

The UCLA men’s basketball team will be playing its first game in Anaheim in a decade this December, and the Bruins are facing off a perennial college basketball power.

The Bruins will be at the Honda Center on Dec. 5 for the West Coast Hoops Showdown, and they’ll be tipping off against the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the school said in a news release.

It’s the first time since 2016 the Bruins will be playing in Anaheim, though they’ve faced the Bulldogs several times in the past few seasons, including twice in the NCAA Tournament.

Matchup is ‘vital for our college game’

In the release, head coach Mike Cronin emphasized how important games like this are.

With UCLA joining the Big Ten a couple of years ago, many of the West Coast schools are no longer tied by conference.

With much of the Bruins’ schedule now tied up with teams on the East Coast and in the Midwest, finding regional matchups must be done purposefully.

“We are looking forward to playing Gonzaga in front of our fans in Orange County,” said Cronin. “This is a great opportunity for our young men to play a high-caliber opponent in an area with a ton of Bruin fans. I know it’s been a while since our team has played in Anaheim, and we are grateful to everyone at the Honda Center for helping make this matchup happen. It’s vital for our college game to preserve some of these strong West Coast matchups. UCLA taking on Gonzaga is a win-win for our sport. I’m encouraging all our Bruin fans to pack the Honda Center when we take the court on Saturday, Dec. 5.”

How can I watch the UCLA vs. Gonzaga game?

If you’re interested in buying tickets to the game, visit the West Coast Hoops Showdown’s website here. Ticket presale is expected to start Oct. 7, with the general sale beginning on Oct. 8.

The game will also be nationally televised in primetime on Fox, but the start time has not yet been decided.

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