UCLA Basketball Releases Their Non-Conference Schedule

Mar 26, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford huddles with his players during practice for the south regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

One of the things second-year head coach Steve Alford wanted to do with the Bruin’s 2015 non-conference schedule is set up games against quality opponents in preparation for a competitive conference stretch. A schedule that would be a bit tougher than in recent years. Alford got his wish as UCLA basketball will be taking on several terrific teams this winter, as well as competing in the incomparable pre-season tournament, Battle 4 Atlantis. Mark your calendars Bruins, here is the UCLA non-conference schedule for 2014:

Nov. 14 vs Montana State

Nov. 16 vs Coastal Carolina

Nov. 20 vs. Nicholls State

Nov. 23 vs. Long Beach State

Nov. 26-28 Battle 4 Atlantis (Paradise Island, Bahamas)

Dec. 3 vs. Cal State Fullerton

Dec. 7 vs. San Diego

Dec. 10 vs. UC Riverside

Dec. 13 vs. Gonzaga

Dec. 20 vs. Kentucky (CBS Sports Classic, in Chicago)

Dec. 28 at Alabama

While Alford wants to improve the strength of schedule, he is not overloading the non-conference with talented teams and is staying relatively close to Pauley Pavilion. In their non-conference, the Bruins play eight home games, 4 neutral site games and only one true road game.

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As for the quality of their opponents, UCLA will have their hands full going into the Battle 4 Atlantis which includes seven other top notch programs in one of the most anticipated pre-season tournaments of the up-coming season. Butler, Florida, Georgetown, North Carolina, Oklahoma,  UAB and Wisconsin will join UCLA in a Thanksgiving weekend showdown that could give us a preview of the NCAA Tournament that will take place in March and April of 2015 .

The Bruins will be facing Gonzaga for the first time since beating the Bulldogs in the come-from-behind victory in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. They also take on the team that is second to the Bruins in National Championships as a classic-in-the-making will take place in Chicago against the Kentucky Wildcats. It is possible the Bruins could face up to five ranked teams before conference play.

Alford wanted UCLA to have a challenge before the season and now he got it. Go Bruins.