Next year at this time, the UCLA basketball team will be about 6,500 miles from Westwood. The Pac-12 announced Friday morning that UCLA will open the 2017-18 season in China against Georgia Tech.

“One of the reasons you come to UCLA is to play big games on the biggest stage,” UCLA coach Steve Alford said. “I’d say playing in the largest country in the world against a tremendous ACC program like Georgia Tech qualifies as a pretty big stage.”

In the 2016 edition of the Pac-12 China Game, Stanford and Harvard tip-off their seasons at 8 p.m. tonight in Shanghai. Next season will mark UCLA’s second trip to China in five years after playing a series of exhibition games in Beijing and Shanghai in August of 2012.

Touted freshmen Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf make their regular season debut tonight as the No. 16 Bruins open their season at Pauley Pavilion against Pacific at 6 p.m.

Season preview links:

Steve Alford is loosening the reins this season despite his hot seat

UCLA’s defensive concerns among five things to watch this season

UCLA’s five most important games of the season, including the program’s first-ever trip to Rupp Arena.

Men’s basketball full 2016-17 season schedule

A glance at UCLA’s competition in the Pac-12, including Oregon, Arizona

The No. 9 UCLA women are aiming for the Final Four

The five most important games for the UCLA women begin Monday at No. 2 Baylor

Women’s basketball full 2016-17 season schedule

A glance at the rest of the Pac-12 women’s basketball teams