Go Joe Bruin
Fansided

UCLA Basketball: 2017-18 Pac-12 Basketball weekly pairings announced

By Mike Regalado

Mar 10, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Dusan Ristic (14) handles the ball defended by UCLA Bruins center Thomas Welsh (40) during the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at T-Mobile Arena. Arizona won the game 86-75. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Dusan Ristic (14) handles the ball defended by UCLA Bruins center Thomas Welsh (40) during the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at T-Mobile Arena. Arizona won the game 86-75. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Pac-12 has released their weekly pairings for the 2017-18 conference schedule and the UCLA Basketball team has an interesting journey.

The UCLA Basketball team now knows what their path through the conference schedule will look like and it is not easy. It also makes little sense in regards to playing a certain rival.

The Bruins, as well as the rest of the Pac-12, begin their journey to the Pac-12 Tournament the last week of December 2017 and will go through March 2018.

The Bruins play every team, but there is a huge head scratcher in the schedule.

Related Story: Predicting UCLA Basketball's non-conference results

UCLA and Arizona, which makes up the biggest rivalry in the Pac-12, only play once next season and to the Bruins’ disadvantage, it is in Tucson.

It is not the fact that they only play at the McKale Center that is off-putting, it would be the same if the Bruins and Wildcats were to only meet at Pauley Pavilion (which might occur the following season), it is the fact that the biggest draw for the Conference of Champions is only happening once and not twice in the regular season, especially with both teams projecting to be Top 25 programs next year.

Still, UCLA has a lot to worry about regardless of their new schedule. The biggest matchups, aside from the tussle in Tucson, will be against Oregon in late January and mid-February, as well as two crosstown showdowns which has the Bruins ending the season at USC.

UCLA Basketball weekly conference pairings:

More from Go Joe Bruin

Week of Dec. 27-31: vs Washington and Washington State

Week of Jan. 3-7: at Cal and Stanford

Week of Jan. 10-14: vs Colorado and Utah

Week of Jan. 17-21: at Oregon and Oregon State

Week of Jan. 24-28: vs Cal and Stanford

Week of Jan. 31 – Feb. 4: vs USC

Week of Feb. 7-11: at Arizona and Arizona State

Week of Feb. 14-18: vs Oregon and Oregon State

Week of 21-25: at Colorado and Utah

Week of Feb. 28- Mar. 3: at USC

For the full Pac-12 pairings schedule, click HERE.

Next: The UCLA Basketball All-Time Team

The Bruins will being looking to continue their success next season and though they reload, it will be a challenge to battle for the Pac-12. Still, the Bruins have 3 core players and six very talented freshmen that will work to pull that off. Go Bruins!