UCLA Basketball: Non-Conference Game by Game Previews and Predictions
By Ryan Kay
UCLA basketball will play 11 games in non-conference play and they will more than likely have a very challenging non-conference schedule for the 2023-24 season.
It is time to look forward to the beginning of the 2023-24 college basketball season. Many college basketball fans, including UCLA fans, are looking forward to the upcoming non-conference schedule. There are some intriguing potential matchups in the second and third rounds of the Maui Invitational that going to have an impact on the potential NCAA Tournament seedings for the Bruins this upcoming season. Non-conference games for UCLA are part of agreements to participate in an MTE as well as a series of home-and-away games, and there are matchups in the non-conference play that fans should be excited about.
Let’s begin taking a look at the three early home games for the Bruins before we discuss and analyze UCLA’s participation in arguably the best and most competitive non-conference tournament in all of college basketball. If the Bruins can win these four games and play Kansas in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational, UCLA fans will be excited about the possibility of winning the tournament.
Here is a closer look at the non-conference games that you need to know about heading into the Bruins 2023-24 college basketball season.
Game 1
Match Up: Saint Francis (Pennsylvania) at UCLA
Date: Monday, November 6th, 2023
TIme: 8:30 PM PT
TV/Streaming: Pac-12 Network
History between the two teams: UCLA defeated the St. Francis Red Flash by a final score of 95-58 in Bruins’s opening game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational in 2018.
Opponent last season: Member of the Northeast Conference and finished in fourth place last season.
Prediction: UCLA 85 St. Francis (PA) 61
Game 2
Match Up: Lafayette at UCLA
Date: Friday, November 10th, 2023
TIme: 8:00 PM PT
TV/Streaming: Pac-12 Network
History between the two teams: This will be the first meeting between these two teams.
Opponent last season: Member of the Patriot League and they finished in a four-way tie for sixth place last season.
Prediction: UCLA 82 Layfette 59
Game 3
Match Up: Long Island University at UCLA
Date: Wednesday, November 15th, 2023
TIme: 7:00 PM PT
TV/Streaming: Pac-12 Network
History between the two teams: Long Island University defeated UCLA 90-71 many years ago.
Opponent last season: Member of the Northeast Conference and they finished in last place last season.
Prediction: UCLA 79 LIU 61
Game 4
0. 518. 0. 474. ESPN 2. Monday, Nov 20. . 8:30 PM PT
The last time these two teams played against each other was in 2021 when the Bruins went on the road to play Marquette. The Golden Eagles and UCLA have only faced one another twice in regular-season games over the years. The two games that they have played each other have been part of each other’s non-conference schedules, allowing both teams to test their skills against top-tier opponents early in the season.
Overall, the history between Marquette and UCLA is limited but in both games, the margin of victory was in the single digits. While UCLA holds the advantage in terms of national championships won, Marquette has had its fair share of successes as well. Their two recent meetings on the basketball court have provided exciting moments for college basketball fans and when they meet in the first round of the Maui Maui Invitational, college basketball fans will be watching a great game between two respectable and well-known programs.
History and Game Prediction
Two games have been played between these two schools in recent years: UCLA has won both games against the Golden Eagles.
Current Win Streak: The Bruins have won the last two games between these two schools, having a two-game winning streak in this series between these two programs.
The last meeting between both schools: UCLA defeated Marquette on the road by a final score of 67-56 back on December 11, 2021.
Prediction: UCLA wins in a close game by a final score of 81-76.