UCLA vs. Arizona Basketball: A Storied Rivalry

The UCLA Bruins and the Arizona Wildcats boast a rich history of intense basketball matchups. For decades, games between Arizona and UCLA have captivated players, coaches, and fans nationwide. This rivalry, fueled by strong basketball traditions and passionate fan bases, has become a cornerstone of college basketball out West. Icons in the game of basketball have made this rivalry into one of the best in college basketball.

Historical Overview

The rivalry dates back to the first games in 1923. However, the series gained true intensity with Arizona's addition to the Pac-10 Conference in 1978. Before Lute Olson's arrival at Arizona, UCLA dominated the series, winning 21 of 24 games against the Wildcats. UCLA was long considered the dominant college basketball program in the West, with few teams able to consistently challenge them.

Since 1978, the two schools have consistently competed for the Pac-10 (later Pac-12) Championship, winning 23 out of 31 conference titles and 9 of 18 conference tournament titles. Arizona clinched their first conference title in 1986 with a road win at UCLA in Olson's third season. The UCLA-Arizona basketball rivalry remains a marquee matchup, significantly influencing the national perception of the conference. As Mike Montgomery, former head coach at both Cal and Stanford, noted, the conference's reputation is heavily tied to the success of these two programs.

Series Statistics

As of December 14, 2024, UCLA leads the overall series with 64 wins to Arizona's 50. There have been 35 games played when both programs were ranked, further highlighting the high stakes and competitive nature of their contests.

Here's a breakdown of some notable games and trends:

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• Early Dominance: Before Arizona's rise in the Pac-10, UCLA held a clear advantage.
• Conference Championships: The two teams have consistently battled for conference supremacy since 1978.
• Ranked Matchups: The high number of games featuring both teams ranked demonstrates their consistent national relevance.

Game Results Since January 3, 1998

According to UCLA Athletics, since January 3, 1998, there have been 61 games between the UCLA and University of Arizona Men’s Basketball teams. Overall, UCLA has had 30 wins and 31 losses against University of Arizona.

Game Results Against Arizona State University Since January 5, 1998

According to the UCLA Athletics Men’s Basketball History vs Arizona State University webpage, since Jan. 5, 1998, there have been 49 games between the UCLA and Arizona State University Men’s Basketball teams. Overall, UCLA has had 35 wins and 14 losses against Arizona State.

Notable Games and Moments

The rivalry is filled with memorable games and moments that have shaped college basketball history. These contests often feature intense competition, star players, and dramatic finishes.

The Future of the Rivalry

Following the end of the 2023−24 season, Arizona moved to the Big 12 Conference, and UCLA joined the Big Ten Conference, raising questions about the rivalry's future. However, both teams have committed to continuing the series with games in neutral site locations.

In August 2024, it was announced that Arizona and UCLA would continue their basketball rivalry with three games over the next four years, starting with a Dec. 14 matchup in downtown Phoenix. The teams also agreed to meet in 2025 at the Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas and in 2027 in Los Angeles.

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December 14, 2024 Game in Phoenix

Tickets for the December 14 game in Phoenix went on sale Wednesday, August 14, at 10:00 AM PT, at footprintcenter.com. The UCLA Bruins finished the game strong with a win over Arizona, 57-54. The University of Arizona vs UCLA game was broadcast on ESPN2.

The Arizona-UCLA series expands on the collaboration between Position Sports, a Phoenix-based event and marketing agency, and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Position Sports, established in 2005, is a premium event production and brand marketing firm that specializes in event operations, activation development, media relations, and digital engagement. Position Sports provides clients with the expanded strategic direction needed to succeed in the sports marketing arena, also known as Positioning.

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level - men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 450 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad.

Coaches' Perspectives

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd emphasized the historical significance of the rivalry: "For decades, Arizona-UCLA games have meant so much to our players, coaches, and fans across the country. Icons in the game of basketball have made this rivalry into one of the best in college basketball, and we look forward to adding the next chapters in the years to come."

UCLA coach Mick Cronin echoed this sentiment, highlighting the mutual benefit of preserving the rivalry: "It's a win-win situation for both UCLA and Arizona, as we want to preserve what has turned into a fantastic basketball rivalry out West. These are two schools with strong basketball traditions and passionate fan bases, and it’s important for us to find ways to continue playing each other. I have a lot of respect for Tommy Lloyd and the job that he’s done the past three seasons at Arizona. His teams are talented and well-coached."

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Impact on the Pac-12 Conference

The performance of UCLA and Arizona has significantly influenced the national perception of the Pac-12 Conference. Mike Montgomery, former head coach at both Cal and Stanford, has stated, "…If those two are not good, the conference is not perceived as being good." Their consistent success and high-profile matchups have elevated the conference's profile on the national stage.

Detailed Game Results

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	February 19, 1923	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	43-30
2	February 20, 1923	Los Angeles, CA	Arizona	33-22
3	February 26, 1923	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	30-23
4	February 27, 1923	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	32-22
5	January 26, 1951	San Francisco, CA	UCLA	69-63
6	December 11, 1953	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	90-45
7	December 12, 1953	Los Angeles, CA	#10 UCLA	84-48
8	January 12, 1961	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	90-68
9	December 28, 1964	Los Angeles, CA	#4 UCLA	99-79
10	January 31, 1966	Los Angeles, CA	#10 UCLA	84-67
11	December 1, 1969	Los Angeles, CA	#4 UCLA	90-65
12	March 20, 1976	Los Angeles, CA	#5 UCLA	82-66
13	December 29, 1977	Los Angeles, CA	#8 UCLA	85-63
14	January 18, 1979	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	70-69
15	February 17, 1979	Los Angeles, CA	#2 UCLA	110-86
16	January 21, 1980	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	69-59
17	February 16, 1980	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	90-78
18	January 17, 1981	Tucson, AZ	#8 UCLA	79-76
19	February 12, 1981	Los Angeles, CA	#8 UCLA	90-79
20	January 16, 1982	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	65-56
21	February 12, 1982	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	88-73
22	January 8, 1983	Tucson, AZ	#6 UCLA	92-78
23	March 10, 1983	Los Angeles, CA	#4 UCLA	111-58
24	January 7, 1984	Tucson, AZ	#6 UCLA	61-58
25	March 8, 1984	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	68-60
26	January 19, 1985	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	53-52
27	March 2, 1985	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	58-54
28	February 13, 1986	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	85-60
29	March 3, 1986	Los Angeles, CA	Arizona	88-76
30	January 10, 1987	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	84-83
31	February 12, 1987	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	81-65
32	January 24, 1988	Tucson, AZ	#1 Arizona	86-74
33	February 20, 1988	Los Angeles, CA	#3 Arizona	78-76
34	February 18, 1989	Tucson, AZ	#2 Arizona	102-62
35	March 4, 1989	Los Angeles, CA	#1 Arizona	89-86
36	January 13, 1990	Los Angeles, CA	#19 UCLA	73-67
37	February 10, 1990	Tucson, AZ	#22 Arizona	83-74
38	March 11, 1990	Tempe, AZ	#15 Arizona	94-78
39	January 12, 1991	Tucson, AZ	#6 Arizona	82-77
40	February 10, 1991	Los Angeles, CA	#5 Arizona	105-94
41	January 11, 1992	Tucson, AZ	#2 UCLA	89-87
42	March 12, 1992	Los Angeles, CA	#8 UCLA	89-81
43	January 7, 1993	Los Angeles, CA	#20 Arizona	82-80
44	March 13, 1993	Tucson, AZ	#6 Arizona	99-80
45	January 20, 1994	Los Angeles, CA	#2 UCLA	74-66
46	February 19, 1994	Tucson, AZ	#15 Arizona	98-74
47	January 19, 1995	Tucson, AZ	#4 UCLA	71-61
48	February 18, 1995	Tucson, AZ	#6 UCLA	72-70
49	January 20, 1996	Tucson, AZ	#18 Arizona	88-79
50	February 15, 1996	Los Angeles, CA	#18 UCLA	76-75
51	January 18, 1997	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	79-62
52	February 13, 1997	Tucson, AZ	#24 UCLA	66-64
53	January 3, 1998	Tucson, AZ	#8 Arizona	87-75
54	March 7, 1998	Los Angeles, CA	#2 Arizona	91-87
55	January 2, 1999	Los Angeles, CA	#10 UCLA	82-75
56	March 6, 1999	Tucson, AZ	#13 Arizona	87-70
57	January 20, 2000	Los Angeles, CA	#2 Arizona	76-61
58	February 19, 2000	Tucson, AZ	#4 Arizona	88-63
59	January 20, 2001	Tucson, AZ	#17 Arizona	88-63
60	February 15, 2001	Los Angeles, CA	#24 UCLA	79-77
61	January 19, 2002	Tucson, AZ	#15 Arizona	96-86
62	February 14, 2002	Los Angeles, CA	#20 UCLA	77-76
63	January 18, 2003	Los Angeles, CA	#2 Arizona	87-52
64	February 13, 2003	Tucson, AZ	#1 Arizona	106-70
65	March 13, 2003	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	96-89
66	January 17, 2004	Los Angeles, CA	#7 Arizona	97-72
67	February 14, 2004	Tucson, AZ	#16 Arizona	107-83
68	January 15, 2005	Tucson, AZ	#17 Arizona	76-73
69	February 12, 2005	Los Angeles, CA	#12 Arizona	83-73
70	January 5, 2006	Tucson, AZ	#17 UCLA	85-79
71	February 4, 2006	Los Angeles, CA	#14 UCLA	84-73
72	March 10, 2006	Los Angeles, CA	#13 UCLA	71-59
73	January 20, 2007	Los Angeles, CA	#3 UCLA	73-69
74	February 17, 2007	Tucson, AZ	#5 UCLA	81-66
75	February 8, 2008	Los Angeles, CA	#5 UCLA	82-60
76	March 2, 2008	Tucson, AZ	#4 UCLA	68-66
77	January 15, 2009	Los Angeles, CA	#9 UCLA	83-60
78	February 14, 2009	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	84-72
79	January 2, 2010	Los Angeles, CA	Arizona	77-63
80	March 4, 2010	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	78-73
81	March 11, 2010	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	75-69
82	January 27, 2011	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	85-74
83	February 26, 2011	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	71-49
84	January 5, 2012	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	65-58
85	February 25, 2012	Tucson, AZ	Arizona	65-63
86	March 8, 2012	Los Angeles, CA	Arizona	66-58
87	January 24, 2013	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	84-73
88	March 2, 2013	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	74-69
89	March 15, 2013	Las Vegas, NV	#24 UCLA	66-64
90	January 9, 2014	Los Angeles, CA	#1 Arizona	79-75
91	March 15, 2014	Las Vegas, NV	UCLA	75-71
92	February 21, 2015	Tucson, AZ	#7 Arizona	57-47
93	March 13, 2015	Las Vegas, NV	#5 Arizona	70-64
94	January 7, 2016	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	87-84
95	February 12, 2016	Tucson, AZ	#17 Arizona	81-75
96	January 21, 2017	Los Angeles, CA	#14 Arizona	96-85
97	February 25, 2017	Tucson, AZ	#5 UCLA	77-72
98	March 10, 2017	Las Vegas, NV	#7 Arizona	86-75
99	February 8, 2018	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	82-74
100	March 9, 2018	Las Vegas, NV	#15 Arizona	78-67
101	January 26, 2019	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	90-69
102	February 8, 2020	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	65-52
103	February 29, 2020	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	69-64
104	January 9, 2021	Tucson, AZ	UCLA	81-76
105	February 18, 2021	Los Angeles, CA	UCLA	74-60
106	January 25, 2022	Los Angeles, CA	#7 UCLA	75-59
107	February 3, 2022	Tucson, AZ	#7 Arizona	76-66
108	March 12, 2022	Las Vegas, NV	#2 Arizona	84-76
109	January 21, 2023	Tucson, AZ	#11 Arizona	58-52
110	March 4, 2023	Los Angeles, CA	#4 UCLA	82-73
111	March 11, 2023	Las Vegas, NV	#8 Arizona	61-59
112	January 20, 2024	Tucson, AZ	#12 Arizona	77-71
113	March 7, 2024	Los Angeles, CA	#5 Arizona	88-65
114	December 14, 2024	Phoenix, AZ	#24 UCLA	57-54

tags: #ucla #vs #arizona #basketball #history

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