UCLA is adding another major nonconference test to its 2026-27 schedule, and this one comes with a West Coast spotlight.
The Bruins will face Gonzaga on Saturday, Dec. 5 at Honda Center in Anaheim. The game will be televised by FOX, with the tip time to be announced later, though it is expected to be played at night.
That matchup lands a little more than a week after UCLA opens the Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego against Saint Mary's on Thursday, Nov. 26.
The next day, the Bruins will meet either Texas or Georgetown. UCLA’s season begins earlier, with a Nov. 2 game against Arizona in Las Vegas.
"We are looking forward to playing Gonzaga in front of our fans in Orange County," UCLA head coach Mick Cronin said. "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."
The Bruins have not had much success against Gonzaga over the years, holding a 3-8 all-time record and going 2-8 since 1999.
Still, UCLA is set up to bring a strong roster into that game. The Bruins have re-signed every returning player with eligibility from last season: Trent Perry, Eric Dailey Jr., Xavier Booker, Brandon Williams and Eric Freeny.
They also added former Auburn forward Filip Jovic, former Mississippi State forward Sergej Macura, former Texas Tech guard Jaylen Petty and former Butler guard Azavier Robinson through the transfer portal. On top of that, UCLA will have four true freshmen, led by Serbian forward Nikola Kusturica.
Gonzaga, meanwhile, will look different next season. The biggest offseason development for the Bulldogs so far has been the departure of projected starting point guard Mario Saint-Supery, who decided earlier this month to play professionally in Spain rather than return. That move reportedly caught Gonzaga’s staff off guard.
Even with that loss, the Bulldogs still have plenty of firepower. Braden Huff and Davis Fogle are back, and Gonzaga added former Arizona State big man Massamba Diop and former Houston guard Isiah Harwell from the transfer portal.
The current expectation is that 23-year-old French guard Nathan De Sousa, who signed with the program earlier this month, will handle point guard duties next season. Gonzaga could still add another player if more graduating seniors from last season are ruled eligible in court under the NCAA’s new 5-for-5 rule, such as Donovan Dent.
UCLA ticket requests for the game will be available through the school for Wooden Athletic Fund members, season ticket members and Den Pass holders. Ticket allotments will be based on Wooden Athletic Fund recognition level, lifetime giving to UCLA Athletics and consecutive years as a season ticket member. Fans can also find ticket information for the West Coast Hoops Showdown on the event’s official website.
In Other News...
UCLA Just Hit A Brutal Setback In Its 2027 QB Search
Bob Chesney has spent the summer building UCLAs 2027 recruiting class with a mix of defensive and offensive additions, and the early returns have kept the Bruins in the conversation nationally. Rivals currently has the class ranked 17th, a respectable spot for a group that has not picked up a commitment since June 30, but the bigger issue for UCLA has been finding a quarterback to anchor the cycle.
Brady Edmunds had been the most realistic target on the board, which is why his decision matters so much for the Bruins. With the Ohio State commit no longer a flip candidate, UCLAs options at quarterback in the 2027 class are suddenly thin, and Chesney may have to turn his attention to the 2028 cycle sooner than planned, where names like Josiah Boyd and Koa Malau'ulu could become part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA May Be Taking A Risky Path At Quarterback
UCLAs quarterback planning is already becoming a talking point under new coach Bob Chesney, even before the Bruins have settled into his first cycle of roster building. Jack Savage, who covers the program, argued that passing on a quarterback in the current class would not be a mistake if the staff believes the next wave of talent is better and the transfer portal can help bridge any gap. With a strong 2028 recruiting group on the horizon, that approach gives the Bruins a chance to be selective instead of forcing a long-term answer too early.
The risk, of course, is that quarterback is the one position where timing can turn a cautious plan into a scramble. UCLA is leaning on recruiting and portal strategy to manage the room going forward, and the staffs willingness to wait will say plenty about how it views the future behind center. If the Bruins do decide to hold off now, the real test will come later, when the next class and the portal market determine whether patience was smart roster management or a dangerous gamble. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Offense May Rise Or Fall With Bob Chesneys JMU Pipeline
The Bruins offensive makeover has a familiar footprint, with six transfers arriving from James Madison as Bob Chesneys influence begins to show in Westwood. The group includes running back Wayne Knight, interior linemen Riley Robell and Carter Sweazie, tackle JD Dean, tight end Josh Phifer and wide receiver Landon Ellis, giving UCLA a ready-made cluster of players who already know the system and the expectations that come with it.
For UCLA, the appeal is obvious: Knight brings proven backfield production, Robell and Sweazie are positioned to anchor the middle of the line, and the rest of the JMU contingent could fill important roles as the Bruins try to stabilize an offense that needs cohesion fast. The bigger question is how much of this pipeline can translate from one program to another, and whether the Bruins can turn that shared background into something more than just a familiar reunion. [Read more 🡒]