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UCLA, Gonzaga announce home-and-home series agreement

Steve Alford

UCLA coach Steve Alford holds up a piece of the net after his team defeated Arizona, 75-71, in the championship game of the NCAA Pac-12 conference college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 15, 2014, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

AP

UCLA and Gonzaga haven’t met on the basketball court since the 2006 Sweet 16, with the Bruins winning in one of the wildest finishes in the recent history of the event. That will change on December 13, as it was announced Wednesday that the two programs have come to an agreement on a two-game, home-and-home series. Gonzaga will host the return meeting on December 12, 2015.

“We are excited to face Gonzaga in a home-and-home series beginning with the 2014-15 season,” UCLA head coach Steve Alford said in the release. “Mark Few has built a strong and consistent program in Spokane, and we know this will be a very entertaining matchup for our fans in Pauley Pavilion.

“Playing Gonzaga will add to what we already believe is a very competitive non-conference schedule next season.”

This matchup will benefit both teams, and for the Bulldogs this game will be played one week after their visit to Pac-12 favorite Arizona (December 6). Gonzaga’s put together quality non-conference schedules over the years, and having Arizona and UCLA on the slate will not only benefit them ahead of West Coast Conference play but also give them the chance to take on two of the western United States’ most storied programs.

“Obviously, we are excited about the opportunity to play both UCLA and Arizona home-and-home,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said in a release. “It’s great for our fans, our program and for all college basketball fans, especially the ones out West that get to see the three of us playing home-and-home.”

UCLA, which reached the Sweet 16 this past season, will have some significant holes to fill as three players (Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams and Zach LaVine) entered the NBA Draft and the Wear twins ran out of eligibility. However the Bruins add a solid recruiting class led by Kevon Looney, and the addition of Isaac Hamilton will help as well.

As for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs lose David Stockton but return Kevin Pangos, Gary Bell Jr. and Przemek Karnowski, and the addition of Kentucky transfer Kyle Wiltjer will be a big one.

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