UCLA Basketball News: Bruins Set to Face New Mexico for 2024-25 Season's Second Game

UCLA men’s basketball has scheduled a matchup against New Mexico for their second game of the 2024-25 season. The team announced in a press release Monday.

The game is set for Friday, November 8, at the Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas.

This early-season game will be a neutral-site contest against the Lobos, who finished last season with a strong 26-10 record and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. The Bruins last faced New Mexico in 1997, securing a victory in that matchup.

"We're excited to add New Mexico to our schedule this season," Bruins head coach Mick Cronin said. "This game provides us with another good measuring stick, early in the season, to see what our team is made of and how we stack up against a program that went 26-10 last year.

"I have a ton of respect for Richard Pitino, and he has put UNM's program in a really strong position in the Mountain West. This game also gives our fans in the Las Vegas region a chance to come cheer on the Bruins in November."

UCLA has also lined up several other non-conference games this season. They will play against former Pac-12 rival Arizona in Phoenix on December 14 as part of a multi-year series.

Following that, the Bruins will take on North Carolina at Madison Square Garden in New York City during the 2024 CBS Sports Classic, alongside Ohio State and Kentucky.

Additionally, UCLA will face Gonzaga on December 28 at the newly constructed Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

After a disappointing 2023-24 season that saw them finish with a 16-17 record and miss the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins have revamped their roster through the transfer portal, adding several new players to strengthen the team.