A look at Arizona's nonconference men's basketball opponents in 2026-27

Date/time/TV: Nov. 2, 8 p.m., TNT

Game location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

School location: Los Angeles

Game contract: Arizona will receive $75,000 and other considerations from Position Sports for what is the final game in a three-year series with UCLA.

Series history: The former Pac-12 rivals are tied 1-1 in their three-year series they signed after leaving the conference in 2024. UCLA edged the Wildcats 57-54 in Phoenix during the 2024-25 season and Arizona won 69-65 at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome last season. UCLA leads the all-time series 64-51.

Coach: Mick Cronin (162-76 in seven seasons at UCLA; 527-247 in 23 seasons overall)

Last season: 24-12 overall, 13-7 Big Ten (6th/tie), NCAA Tournament second round, Kenpom rating 28

Big losses: F Tyler Bilodeau (17.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg), G Donovan Dent (13.3 ppg, 7.6 apg)

Top returnees: G Trent Perry (12.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg), G Eric Dailey (11.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg), C Xavier Booker (7.3 ppg, 1.2 bpg)

Impact additions: F Nikola Kusturica (five-star freshman from Serbia), G Jaylen Petty (Texas Tech transfer, 9.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg)

Outlook: After wading into the Big Ten and its cross-country travel with a 13-7 conference record each of the past two seasons, the Bruins might have their best chance at winning the Midwestern-rooted league yet. Kusturica leads a talented group of international and domestic newcomers that joins three returning starters.

CAL POLY MUSTANGS

Date/time/TV: Nov. 5, 8:30 p.m., TruTV/HBO Max

Game location: McKale Center at Alkeme Arena

School location: San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Game contract: UA will pay Cal Poly $95,000 for making a one-time appearance at McKale.

Series history: Arizona leads the series 4-0 in games that have all been played in Tucson, the last during the 2018-19 season.

Coach: Mike DeGeorge (30-38 in two years at Cal Poly and overall)

Last season: 14-19 overall, 10-10 Big West (8th)

Big losses: G Peter Bandelj (13.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, transferred to Nevada)

Top returnees: F Hamad Mousa (20.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg), G Cayden Ward (14.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg)

Impact additions: F Anthony Moore (Weber State transfer, redshirted in 2025-26)

Outlook: The Mustangs have 12 — count ‘em — 12 players back, including four returning starters. Who has that sort of luxury anymore?

NAU LUMBERJACKS

Date/time/TV: Nov. 10, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Game location: McKale Center at Alkeme Arena

School location: Flagstaff

Game contract: UA will pay NAU $90,000 for appearing at McKale as part of a series that extends through 2030-31.

Series history: Arizona leads its second most frequently played in-state opponent 102-27 and hasn’t lost to the Lumberjacks since 1968-69. They took a break between 2021-22 and 2024-25, largely because UA coach Tommy Lloyd didn't want to coach against his son, Liam, who was playing for NAU, but Arizona beat the Lumberjacks 84-49 upon resuming the series last season.

Coach: Shane Burcar (85-133 in six seasons at NAU and overall)

Last season: 10-22 overall, 4-14 Big Sky (10th), Kenpom ranking 321

Big losses: F Traviar Jackson (7.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg), Isaiah Shaw (8.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg)

Top returnee: G Ryan Abelman (10.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Chris Komin (7.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg)

Impact additions: C Dylan Anderson (Murray State transfer, 1.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg), F Lucas Toukam (freshman)

Outlook: After turnover helped lead to just a 10-win season last year, Burcar lost his projected starting point guard (Brennan Peterson) for the season with an offseason ACL tear. But he was able to finally land a longtime recruiting target, former UA center Dylan Anderson, who has been well-traveled since leaving Gilbert Perry High School in 2022.

AUBURN TIGERS

Date/time/TV: Nov. 13, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Game location: Neville Arena

School location: Auburn, Ala.

Game contract: The game concludes a two-year series in which Auburn appeared at McKale last season. No cash was exchanged.

Series history: Arizona beat Auburn 97-68 last season at McKale in the first game of the two-year home-and-home series, but the Wildcats lost both previous games against the Tigers, in the first round of the 1986 NCAA Tournament in Long Beach, Calif., and in the first round of the 2018 Maui Invitational.

Coach: Steven Pearl (22-16 in one year at Auburn and overall)

Last season: 22-16 overall, 7-11 SEC (tie/11th, NIT champions, Kenpom rating 36

Big losses: F Keyshawn Hall (19.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg), C KeShawn Murphy (10.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg)

Top returnees: G Tahaad Pettiford (15.4 ppg, 3.8 apg), G Kevin Overton (14.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

Impact additions: F Thomas Dowd (Troy transfer, 14.4 ppg, 10.1 rpg), C Bukky Oboye (Santa Clara transfer, 7.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg), C Narcisse Ngoy (freshman from France)

Outlook: Steven Pearl returns his starting backcourt from his first Auburn team, which he took over from his father, Bruce, just before last season began and guided to the NIT title after some regular-season bumpiness. He also added strength and size to the frontcourt to a team that should show some improvement.

UCONN HUSKIES

Date/time/TV: Nov. 18, 7 p.m., FS1

Game location: McKale Center at Alkeme Arena

School location: Storrs, Conn.

Game contract: The game concludes a two-year series in which Arizona went to Storrs last season. No cash was exchanged.

Series history: Arizona beat UConn 71-67 in Storrs early last season and has won the past three games in the series, including a 73-58 win at McKale in 2017-18 and a 76-72 game in Harford, Conn., in 2018-19. But the Huskies won the first five games and still lead 5-3 overall.

Coach: Dan Hurley (199-75 in eight seasons at UConn, 350-180 in 16 seasons overall)

Last season: 34-6 overall, 17-3 Big East (2nd), NCAA runner-up, Kenpom rating 9

Big losses: F Alex Karaban (13.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), C Tarris Reed (14.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg)

Top returnees: G Silas Demary (10.1 ppg, 5.9 apg), G Braylon Mullins (12.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

Impact additions: C Na’Jai Hines (Seton Hall transfer, 6.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg), F Nik Khamenia (Duke transfer, 5.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg), G Junior County (four-star freshman)

Outlook: Nobody has navigated the current turbulence of college basketball better than UConn, which won NCAA titles in 2024 and 2025 and reached the championship game before losing to Michigan last season. The Huskies lose frontcourt anchors Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed, while starting guard Solo Ball is expected to miss the season after a wrist injury, but former UA recruiting target Nik Khamenia is among the newcomers who are expected to help mold another national contender this season.

COLORADO STATE RAMS

Date/time/TV: Nov. 23, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2

Game location: Lahaina Civic Center, Lahaina, Hawaii

School location: Fort Collins, Colo.

Game contract: Arizona is paying Kemper Sports Marketing a $35,000 fee for administration and marketing to be in the Nov. 23-25 Maui Invitational, which assigned UA to play Colorado State in the opening round.

Series history: Arizona leads its old Western Athletic Conference rival 24-11, but the teams haven’t played each other since the Wildcats left for the Pac-10 in 1978-79.

Coach: Ali Farokhmanesh (21-13 in one season at Colorado State and overall)

Last season: 21-13 overall, 11-9 Mountain West (7th/tie), NIT first round, Kenpom rating 88

Big losses: G Brandon Rechsteiner (12.0 ppg, 2.5 apg), G Jevin Muniz (9.4 ppg, 4.9 apg)

Top returnees: F Kyle Jorgensen (11.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg), G Jase Butler (9.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg), F Corey Booth (10.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg), F Rashaan Mbemba (8.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg)

Impact additions: F Eric Fiedler (three-star freshman), F Amondo Miller, Jr. (D-II transfer)

Outlook: Farokhmanesh returns four starters from a team that reached the NIT despite heavy rebuilding last season, giving the Rams hope for a smooth adjustment into the rebuilt Pac-12.

Other Maui Invitational teams

OLE MISS REBELS

Location: Oxford, Miss.

Last season: 15-20 overall, 4-14 SEC (14th/tie), Kenpom 64

Coach: Chris Beard (59-44 in three seasons at Mississippi, 230-117 in 11 seasons overall)

Key player: F Patton Pinkins (9.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg)

CLEMSON TIGERS

Location: Clemson, S.C.

Last season: 24-11 overall, 12-6 ACC (4th/tie), NCAA Tournament first round, Kenpom 49

Coach: Brad Brownell (316-207 in 16 seasons at Clemson, 483-292 in 24 seasons overall)

Key player: G Ace Buckner (8.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

WASHINGTON HUSKIES

Location: Seattle

Last season: 16-17 overall, 7-13 Big Ten (12th/tie), Kenpom 52

Coach: Danny Sprinkle (29-35 in two seasons at Washington, 138-85 in eight seasons overall)

Key player: G Wesley Yates (12.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg)

BYU COUGARS

Location: Provo, Utah

Last season: 23-12 overall, 9-9 Big 12 (7h/tie), NCAA Tournament first round, Kenpom 24

Coach: Kevin Young (49-22 in two seasons at BYU and overall)

Key player: G Robert Wright (18.1 ppg, 4.6 apg)

VCU RAMS

Location: Richmond, Va.

Last season: 28-8 overall, 15-3 Atlantic 10 (14st/tie), NCAA Tournament second round, Kenpom 42

Coach: Phil Martelli, Jr. (28-8 in one season at VCU, 71-33 in three seasons overall)

Key player: G Nyk Lewis (8.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg)

PROVIDENCE FRIARS

Location: Providence, R.I.

Last season: 15-18 overall, 7-13 Big East (7th/tie), Kenpom 67

Coach: Bryan Hodgson (first season at Providence, 70-37 in three seasons overall)

Key player: G Miles Byrd (San Diego State transfer, 10.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

LSU NEW ORLEANS PRIVATEERS

Date/time/TV: Dec. 1, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Game location: McKale Center at Alkeme Arena

School location: New Orleans

Game contract: UA will pay LSU New Orleans $100,000 for making a one-time appearance at McKale.

Series history: UA is 3-0 against the school previously branded as just New Orleans, but hasn’t faced the Privateers since the 1993-94 season.

Coach: Stacy Hollowell (19-45 in two seasons at LSU New Orleans and overall)

Last season: 15-18 overall, 12-10 Southland (5th/tie), Kenpom rating 194

Big losses: G Jakevion Buckley (13.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg), G Coleton Benson (16.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg), MJ Thomas (10.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg)

Top returnee: F Enzo Boudouma (5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg)

Impact addition: G Nick Jones (Wagner transfer, 14.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg)

Outlook: It’s a year of transition on and off the court for the Privateers, who took on a new school name while being incorporated into the LSU system, then ditched royal blue and silver for LSU purple and gold … and will be rebuilding without leading scorers Buckley and Benson.

ST. JOHN’S RED STORM

Date/time/TV: Dec. 5, 10 a.m., FOX

Game location: Madison Square Garden

School location: New York

Game contract: UA will receive $75,000 from Position Sports for the Hall of Fame-branded game.

Series history: Arizona is 1-1 against St. John’s, beating the Red Storm 81-72 at Madison Square Garden in 2011-12 and losing 70-67 in San Francisco during the 2019-20 season.

Coach: Rick Pitino (81-25 in four seasons at St. John’s, 915-318 in 38 seasons overall)

Last season: 30-7 overall, 18-2 Big East (1st), NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, Kenpom rating 13

Big losses: F Zuby Ejiofor (16.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg), F Bryce Hopkins (13.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg), F Dillon Mitchell (8.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg)

Top returnee: G Ian Jackson (9.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg).

Impact additions: F Tounde Yessoufou (Baylor transfer, 17.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg), G Keyshawn Hall (Auburn transfer, 19.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg), G Quinn Ellis (European pro)

Outlook: Still coaching and assembling talented rosters at a high level at age 73, Pitino won major victories in the offseason when Ellis was cleared despite playing four seasons professionally in Italy and when Johnson received a temporary restraining order after moving from the Ohio five-for-five case to New York (though his TRO remains subject to a final court ruling).

TENNESSEE TECH

Date/time/TV: Dec. 12, 12:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Game location: McKale Center at Alkeme Arena

School location: Cookeville, Tenn.

Game contract: UA will pay Tennessee Tech $102,500 for making a one-time appearance at McKale.

Series history: Arizona has never played Tennessee Tech.

Coach: Tobin Anderson (first season at Tennessee Tech, 54-50 in three seasons overall)

Last season: 13-18 overall, 8-12 Ohio Valley (8th), Kenpom rating 316

Big losses: G Mekhi Cameron (11.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), F Dani Pounds (10.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg)

Top returnee: G Ty Owens (6.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg)

Impact additions: G Davante Hackett (Stonehill transfer, 13.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg), G Trent Mosquera (LeMoyne transfer, 13.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg), G Cho Newton (10.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg)

Outlook: Fired after just two seasons at Iona while trying to replace Rick Pitino, Anderson will get a chance to immediately redeem himself with a new team that is also transitioning from the Ohio Valley to the Southern Conference. His 21-win season at Fairleigh Dickinson in 2022-23, after that team won just four games in the previous season, suggests he could make it work this time.

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

Date/time/TV: Dec. 19, 4:30 p.m., ESPN

Game location: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix

School location: Fayetteville, Ark.

Game contract: UA will receive $75,000 from Position Sports for the Hall of Fame-branded game.

Series history: Arizona is just 3-6 against Arkansas but put away the Razorbacks 109-88 in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 last season in San Jose, Calif. Before that game, the teams had not met since 1995-96.

Coach: John Calipari (50-23 in two seasons at Arkansas, 905-286 in 34 seasons overall)

Last season: 28-9, 13-5 SEC (tie/2nd), NCAA Sweet 16, Kenpom ranking 18

Big losses: G Darius Acuff (23.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg), G Meleek Thomas (15.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg), F Trevon Brazile (13.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

Top returnee: F Billy Richmond (11.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

Impact additions: G Jordan Smith (five-star freshman), G JJ Andrews (five-star freshman), F Abdou Toure (five-star freshman), G Jeremiah Wilkinson (Georgia transfer, 17.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg), F Miikka Muurinen (five-star freshman from Finland).

Outlook: At a time when elite college basketball teams are getting older, thanks to the incentive of NIL riches and the ability for many European pros to get eligible, Calipari is still doing it his way. That is, collecting loads of five-star freshmen and letting them go. It worked last season with Acuff and Thomas leading his backcourt, until Arizona brought their season to an end in the Sweet 16.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES

Date/time/TV: Dec. 21, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Game location: McKale Center at Alkeme Arena

School location: DeKalb, Ill.

Game contract: UA will pay NIU $110,000 for making a one-time appearance at McKale.

Series history: Arizona won the only two games it has played against NIU, both in Tucson, during the 1972-73 and 1974-75 seasons.

Coach: Matt Majkrzak (first season at NIU and overall)

Last season: 9-21 overall, 4-14 in Mid-American (11th/tie), Kenpom ranking 334

Big losses: G Makhai Valentine (13.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg), G Gianni Cobb (9.8 ppg, 3.9 apg)

Top returnees: None

Impact additions: G Cal Klesmit (Division II transfer), G Bennett Basich (Division II transfer), G Uzziah Buntyn (South Dakota transfer, 12.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg)

Outlook: The Huskies go into a new conference (the Horizon) with a new coach and an entirely new roster of players. Majkrzak, just 36 years old, won 136 games over seven seasons at Division II Northern Michigan and brought four players with him to get a head start in the new place.

INCARNATE WORD CARDINALS

Date/time/TV: Dec. 28, 7 p.m., TruTV

Game location: McKale Center at Alkeme Arena

School location: San Antonio

Game contract: UA will pay Incarnate Word $110,000 for making a one-time appearance at McKale.

Series history: Arizona has never faced Incarnate Word, which transitioned into Division I during the 2013-14 season.

Coach: Shane Heirman (39-59 in three seasons at Incarnate Word and overall)

Last season: 12-19 overall, 7-15 Southland (tie/9th), Kenpom rating 265

Big losses: G Davion Bailey (18.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg), G Tahj Staveskie (17.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg), G Jordan Pyke (12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

Top returnee: G Drew Barbee (2.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg)

Impact additions: G Mekhi Conner (Sacred Heart transfer, 7.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg), C Godswill Erheriene (Seton Hall transfer, 0.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg), G Brandon McCreesh (Bucknell transfer, 7.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg).

Outlook: After playing deep into the 2025 CBI, the Cardinals regressed last season but will now start over with an almost entirely new roster that returns only Barbee, the son of longtime D-I coach Tony Barbee, who had limited opportunities last season.