Marquee Non-Conference UCLA Matchup Officially Set for Next Season

UCLA basketball has already had its conference schedule announced for this season, and now both UCLA and Gonzaga have announced a matchup on December 5 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Gonzaga and UCLA had already played each other the last two seasons in a two-year neutral-site series in Inglewood and Seattle, respectively, with the two teams splitting their respective ‘home’ matchups.

Now, this series is going to be more interesting, with former Bruins guard Donovan Dent seeking a fifth year of eligibility and Gonzaga reportedly a potential suitor for next season.

Donovan Dent transferred to UCLA after spending three seasons with New Mexico. After averaging 20 points per game with the Lobos, Dent would average only 13 points on 40% shooting from the field and 25% from three with the Bruins.

What UCLA Brings to the Matchup

The Bruins and the Bulldogs have a long history against each other, whether it was their infamous Sweet 16 matchup in 2006, when Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison had a costly turnover that gave UCLA the win, or during the COVID year, when Jalen Suggs hit a half-court buzzer beater in the Final Four to send Gonzaga to the National Championship game.

UCLA is losing key players from last year’s team, including Tyler Bilodeau to the NBA, Skyy Clark, and Donovan Dent. However, they were able to retain players like Tyler Perry and Xavier Booker. Also, the roster includes Texas Tech transfer guard Jaylen Petty, Auburn transfer forward Filip Jovic, Butler transfer guard Azavier Robinson, and Mississippi State transfer forward Sergej Macura.

Could Donovan Dent Have a Revenge Game?

When Dent decided to transfer to UCLA, one of the places that he was also considering was Gonzaga, as it seemed to be a tight race last offseason.

Back in May, Dent decided to retire from basketball after exhausting his eligibility to play another season of college basketball. However, the NCAA announced a new age-based system that would eliminate the redshirt year and give players five years of eligibility to play in college sports.

Recently, a judge granted graduated seniors hoping to play a fifth year of college basketball an injunction in Ohio, prompting Dent to pursue legal action of his own, setting him up to play one more year if a judge grants more than 45 other student-athletes an injunction.

One of the teams linked to Dent is Gonzaga, as he already has a relationship with the program. If he is granted another year of eligibility and plays for Gonzaga, this upcoming matchup will draw many eyes as a former player faces his former team.