UCLA finalizes two-year men’s basketball series with Gonzaga

The UCLA men’s basketball team will face Gonzaga in nonconference action at a pair of neutral-site venues each of the next two seasons, including the first-ever college basketball game at the new NBA arena in Inglewood.

In the upcoming season, the Bruins will take on the Bulldogs at Intuit Dome on Dec. 28. The arena, which will open officially open next month and serve as the new home for the Los Angeles Clippers, is located approximately 14 miles south of UCLA’s campus.

In the 2025-26 season, UCLA will travel to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Dec. 13, 2025.

“We’re excited to take on Gonzaga in the first-ever college basketball at Intuit Dome,” UCLA head coach Mick Cronin said Thursday in a release announcing the series. “This is a great opportunity for our young men to play under the bright lights in a brand-new venue down the road in Inglewood. I know that the Clippers’ organization is looking forward to moving into this new arena, and we are very grateful to partner with Gonzaga for the opportunity to play there. With shifting landscapes and conferences in college basketball, I really believe it’s important for us to preserve some of these strong West Coast matchups. UCLA versus Gonzaga is a win-win for our sport, and we want our Bruin fans to pack Intuit Dome for what should be an exciting game.”

Game times and television information for both games will be released at a later date.

Intuit Dome is scheduled to open to the public in August. The Clippers’ new home will have five total basketball courts — more than any other NBA arena. In addition to the primary game court, Intuit Dome will have two player practice courts, one Court B promo court and one plaza outdoor court.

The Dec. 28 contest will mark UCLA’s first at an NBA arena in the Los Angeles area since competing in the Pac-10 Tournament at Staples Center at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season. UCLA spent the 2011-12 season playing regular-season contests at two local venues, the Los Angeles Sports Arena and Honda Center in Anaheim, while Pauley Pavilion underwent renovation.

In addition, this will mark UCLA’s first regular-season series against Gonzaga since facing the Bulldogs in a home-and-home series during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

The two schools have faced each other four times since that series — all UCLA losses, including two NCAA tournament contests (2021, 2023), one neutral-site game in Las Vegas (Nov. 2021) and one neutral-site contest last November at the Maui Invitational in Honolulu.

Dating back to the 1999-00 season, UCLA is 2-7 all-time against Gonzaga. Three of the last four losses have been decided by four points or fewer.