Hoops sked released

UCLA RELEASES 2008-09 MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

UCLA's 2008-09 men's basketball schedule is highlighted by non-conference contests in the 2008 2K Sports Classic, benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, that culminates in Madison Square Garden; a trip to Austin, Texas to face the Texas Longhorns in the Pac-10/Big 12 Series (Dec. 4); hosting Wyoming (Dec. 23) and hosting Notre Dame in the Bruins' final non-conference game of the season (Feb. 7).

The field for the 16-team 2K Sports Classic (Nov. 12-13 and Nov. 20-21) has not been announced. Four teams (one of them being UCLA) will host the four-team preliminary rounds on Nov. 10-14 at on-campus sites with the winners advancing to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York, on Nov. 20 and the finals on Nov. 21.

The Bruins will also play in the 15th annual Wooden Classic on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Honda Center in Anaheim against DePaul. This will be UCLA's sixth consecutive Wooden Classic appearance and 12th overall (8-3 in prior contests). Last year, the Bruins defeated Davidson 75-63 in the Wooden Classic.

Other non-conference highlights include - hosting four other teams (Florida International/Nov. 29; Cal State Northridge/Dec. 7; Mercer/Dec. 20 and Louisiana Tech/Dec. 28) in Pauley Pavilion before beginning Pac-10 play.

UCLA, the defending back-to-back-to-back regular season Pac-10 champion, opens defense of its conference crown in early January at Oregon State (Jan. 2). The 2008 Pac-10 Tournament, featuring all 10 teams, will once again be held at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles (March 11-14).

In 2007-08, UCLA advanced to its third straight Final Four, finishing the season with a school-record 35 victories and a 35-4 overall mark. The Bruins won their third consecutive Pac-10 championship with a 16-2 mark. UCLA also won the 2008 Pacific Life Pac-10 Tournament and has won 30 or more games in three straight seasons for the first time in school history.

The schedule is tentative and subject to change due to television. While the dates have been set, the Bruins are still looking for one more home game (Dec. 17) and one exhibition opponent (Nov. 7).

Tentative 2008-09 UCLA Men's Basketball Schedule

DATE OPPONENT
Tue., Nov. 4 Humboldt State
Fri., Nov. 7 Exhibition
Wed., Nov. 12 2008 2K Sports Classic (Coaches vs. Cancer) First Round
Thu., Nov. 13 2008 2K Sports Classic (Coaches vs. Cancer) Second Round
Thu., Nov. 20 2008 2K Sports Classic (Coaches vs. Cancer) Semifinals @ Madison Square Garden
Fri., Nov. 21 2008 2K Sports Classic (Coaches vs. Cancer) Final @ Madison Square Garden
Sat., Nov. 29 Florida International
Thu., Dec. 4 @Texas in Pac-10/Big 12 Hardwood Series
Sun., Dec. 7 Cal State Northridge
Dec. 8-12 Finals Week
Sat., Dec. 13 DePaul @ Wooden Classic
Wed., Dec. 17 TBD
Sat., Dec. 20 Mercer
Tue., Dec. 23 Wyoming
Sun., Dec. 28 Louisiana Tech
Fri., Jan. 2 @ Oregon State
Sun., Jan. 4 @ Oregon
Sun., Jan. 11 @ USC
Thu., Jan. 15 Arizona
Sat., Jan. 17 Arizona State
Thu., Jan. 22 @ Washington State
Sat., Jan. 24 @ Washington
Thu., Jan. 29 California
Sat., Jan. 31 Stanford
Wed., Feb. 4 USC
Sat., Feb. 7 Notre Dame
Thu., Feb. 12 @ Arizona State
Sat., Feb. 14 @ Arizona
Thu., Feb. 19 Washington
Sat., Feb. 21 Washington State
Thu., Feb. 26 @ Stanford
Sat., Feb. 28 @ California
Thu., Mar. 5 Oregon State
Sat., Mar. 7 Oregon
Mar. 11 - Mar. 14 Pac-10 Tournament @ Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Mar. 19 - Mar. 22 NCAA First and Second Round
Mar. 26 - Mar. 29 NCAA Regional
Apr. 4 & Apr. 6 NCAA Final Four