UCLA vs. Indiana: A Storied Basketball Rivalry Rekindled

Indiana and UCLA stand as two of the most distinguished programs in the annals of men's college basketball. Their paths, rich with history and achievement, are set to cross once more. The upcoming season promises a renewal of this classic rivalry, reigniting a series that has been dormant for too long.

A Clash of Titans: The Upcoming Matchup

Thanks to UCLA's inclusion in the Big Ten, Indiana is slated to host UCLA on February 14 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. This game presents Indiana with a chance to break the 6-6 series tie. The game time and television information for the Friday matchup has not been announced.

This contest will showcase two of the sport's blue bloods and all-time winningest programs. UCLA boasts an impressive record, leading all schools with 11 national titles. Indiana is tied for fifth most with five championships. The Bruins' 2,002 wins ranks fifth in college basketball history, and the Hoosiers come in at No. 10 with 1,931 victories.

Historical Encounters: A Glimpse into the Past

The rivalry between Indiana and UCLA is etched in college basketball lore, marked by memorable matchups and pivotal moments.

NCAA Tournament Battles

Their most recent encounter occurred in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. No. 2 seed UCLA defeated No. 7 seed Indiana 54-49 in the 2007 NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in Sacramento, Calif. UCLA guard Darren Collison, under coach Ben Howland, led the way with 15 points, while Indiana’s D.J. White and Earl Calloway scored 12 points apiece.

Before 2007, Indiana hadn’t faced UCLA since the 1992 Elite Eight in Albuquerque, N.M., where coach Bob Knight and the No. 2 seed Hoosiers defeated No. 1 seed UCLA. Calbert Cheaney led Indiana with 23 points, followed by Damon Bailey with 22 and a double-double from Alan Henderson, to advance to the Final Four.

Revenge and Regular Season Clashes

The victory in the Elite Eight was revenge for the 1991-92 season opener, when No. 11 UCLA defeated No. 2 Indiana 87-72 in Springfield, Mass. UCLA's Tracy Murray scored a game-high 21 points.

NIT Championship

The Hoosiers and Bruins rarely missed the NCAA Tournament in that era, but they found themselves matched up in the 1985 NIT championship game. UCLA coach Walt Hazzard capped off his first season with a 65-62 win over Indiana at Madison Square Garden. UCLA's Reggie Miller and Nigel Miguel led all scorers with 18 points apiece.

Undefeated Seasons and Final Four Showdowns

Indiana remains the last team in men’s college basketball to go undefeated and win the national championship, and UCLA was on its path that year. The Hoosiers defeated the Bruins 65-51 in the 1976 Final Four in Philadelphia, Pa., with four starters in double figures: Kent Benson, Scott May, Tom Abernethy and Quinn Buckner.

Indiana and UCLA also met in the 1975-76 season opener, an 84-64 victory for the No. 1 ranked Hoosiers over the No. 2 Bruins. UCLA coach John Wooden won seven straight national championships from 1967-73, a run that included a 70-59 win over Indiana at the 1973 Final Four in St. Louis, Mo., during Knight’s second season.

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Early Encounters

The last seven games between Indiana and UCLA were played at neutral sites, but the series began with five on-campus matchups, spanning from 1937-61. Indiana won the first three games against UCLA, beginning with two meetings in Los Angeles and one in Bloomington. UCLA won the next two matchups, split between Bloomington and Los Angeles.

Woodson's Perspective: A Coach's Anticipation

Previous games between Indiana and UCLA fell before and after coach Mike Woodson’s playing career as a Hoosier, so he’s excited to face UCLA and the rest of the west coast teams.

“It’s different from the time I played until now, but again, I say this all the time, competition is healthy,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson said on the College Hoops Today podcast with Jon Rothstein. “And UCLA and USC and the other two schools [Oregon and Washignton] are very good programs, man, and it can’t help but push the action a little bit more. And we have to travel a long way, but that’s nothing new to me. I’ve done that in the NBA for a long time, going from east coast to west coast and west coast back to east coast.”

“But I just think it’s healthy, man. I think it’s going to be very competitive. When you enter the Big Ten season, man, it’s tough. All these teams can play and well coached and you gotta be on your best game in order to win at home and on the road, man, because it’s not easy.”

Streaks and Trends: Analyzing the Data

A look at the historical data reveals interesting streaks and trends in the Indiana-UCLA series:

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All Games: The longest winning streak for either team is 3 games, achieved by Indiana from 1937/12/28. The longest losing streaks are also 3 games, recorded by Indiana from 1956/12/29 and 2 games from 1956/12/29. Currently, Indiana is on a losing streak of 2 games from 1956/12/29.
Away Games: Indiana has a winning streak of 2 games from 1937/12/28 in away games.

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