UCLA, Cal men’s basketball programs to meet in Empire Classic

The UCLA men’s basketball nonconference schedule will feature another old Pac-12 rival.

UCLA and California will meet Nov. 25 in the 31st annual Empire Classic at the Chase Center in San Francisco, the event organizers announced Wednesday.

Television details and tip-off time will be announced at a later date.

“We are thrilled to add Cal to our non-conference schedule this season,” Bruins head coach Mick Cronin said in a release. “Obviously, we have a strong fan base up in the Bay Area. I’m encouraging all our Northern California alumni and fans to support us at Chase Center on Nov. 25 when we take on the Golden Bears. Our team has never played at Chase Center before, and I know our guys are looking forward to the opportunity. This is a win-win for college basketball on the West Coast, and we’re excited to add this game to our schedule in November.”

The event, which will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, will also include UCLA home games against Sacramento State (Nov. 18) and Presbyterian (Nov. 21).

Tickets for the event go on sale in August.

UCLA and Cal split the season series in the 2023-24 season, the last for the previous iteration of the Pac-12. Both teams won on the other’s home floor.

UCLA is now in the Big Ten and Cal competes in the ACC. The Bruins own a 147-101 edge in the all-time series.

It will mark the first neutral-site meeting between the programs since the 2010 Pac-10 tournament at the building formerly known as the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

It will be the Bruins’ second rivalry from the old Pac-12 on the schedule.

UCLA and Arizona will meet in another neutral-site contest Nov. 14 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

UCLA nonconference schedule

The Bruins have yet to finalize their 2025-26 schedule, but here are the announced games thus far:

Nov. 14 – vs. Arizona (in Inglewood)

Nov. 18 – vs. Sacramento State

Nov. 21 – vs. Presbyterian

Nov. 25 – vs. California (in San Francisco)

Dec. 13 – vs. Gonzaga (in Seattle)