Ranking UCLA Basketball's 3 Most Important Games This Season

The Bruins recently released their full schedule for the 2026-27 basketball season, and it seems to be a tough year on the horizon.

By the end of February, the Bruins will have gone through a gauntlet of fantastic Big Ten teams and should be battle-tested and ready for the Madness in March. At first glance at their schedule, three games stand out, each for particular reasons.

Vs. Arizona – Nov. 2, Las Vegas, NV

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) reaches for the ball against Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

UCLA opens the season with one of the toughest games on the schedule against a loaded Arizona team coming off a trip to the Final Four the previous season.

UCLA will take on Arizona at a neutral site, immediately showcasing the talent of this new-look roster. Projected starting center Xavier Booker will immediately be tested in the frontcourt against an elite opponent in Motiejus Krivas.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) reacts against the UConn Huskies in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bruins will learn a lot from this first matchup, and it will be a great chance to see what the season may look like for UCLA. Playing elite teams early will likely speed up chemistry and help the new roster gel quickly.

Vs. Gonzaga - Dec. 5, Anaheim, CA

Like the Arizona matchup, UCLA will meet Gonzaga in a neutral environment early in the season.

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few during action against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Nov. 14, 2025, at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The main difference between the two is simply timing. UCLA will have several new transfers in big roles, and it may take time for those players to acclimate. The contest against Gonzaga is more than a month after the opener against Arizona, and UCLA will have had time to gel by then.

The Bulldogs will give the Bruins a benchmark to see how they match up against some of the best teams in the country before they dive deep into conference play.

At Illinois - Feb. 2, Champaign, IL

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts after a play against the UConn Huskies during the second half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Illinois on the road may be the toughest game on UCLA's schedule this season. The Illini are coming off a Final Four appearance and have brought back a ton of talent, which makes them one of the best rosters in basketball.

UCLA will travel to Champaign for a true road test in one of the most brutal stretches in the country. Games against Nebraska, Michigan, and Indiana will come before Illinois, followed by Iowa.

Hopefully, by February, the Bruins will have a better sense of their identity, and the matchup against Illinois could reveal what UCLA looks like at the top of their game. UCLA will have no shortage of tests in conference play.

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