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UCLA Basketball: Bruins announce a home-and-home series with UNLV

By Mike Regalado

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 14: UCLA Bruins cheerleaders perform during a quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the Arizona State Sun Devils at T-Mobile Arena on March 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sun Devils defeated the Bruins 83-72. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 14: UCLA Bruins cheerleaders perform during a quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the Arizona State Sun Devils at T-Mobile Arena on March 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sun Devils defeated the Bruins 83-72. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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It is official! The UCLA basketball team has set up a home-and-home series with the UNLV Running Rebels starting this coming season.

UCLA basketball head coach Mick Cronin has set up the first home-and-home series of his tenure as the Bruins will be taking on UNLV in the next two seasons.

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Last week, rumors were floating around that the series was in the works, but UCLABruins.com confirmed it on Tuesday morning.

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The series will begin this fall with UCLA hosting UNLV at Pauley Pavilion on Friday, November 15 with the tipoff time to later be announced. The Running Rebels will return the favor and host the Bruins at the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

The game that will take place this November will be the first time UCLA and UNLV will have met since the 2015 Maui Invitational. The Bruins squeaked by the Rebels in the first round game by a score of 77-75. In their history, the Bruins and Running Rebels have met five times, with UCLA taking every contest.

The next matchup will be a measuring stick for both teams as they are looking to improve off disappointing 2018-19 seasons. UNLV is coming off of a 17-14 season, with an 11-7 record in the Mountain West. UCLA finished with a 17-16 record and a paltry 9-9 Pac-12 record, finishing seventh in the conference.

UCLA will be looking to make significant improvements next season as they begin their next chapter with Cronin, who is determined to bring back toughness, defense, and pride to this storied program. A game against UNLV, who is no cupcake, could result in a win and set them in the right direction.

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UCLA basketball’s full 2019-20 schedule will be released in the next few months.