UCLA beat Arizona on Monday night in Las Vegas, giving the Wildcats their first season-opening loss in 20 years.
Arizona found itself down double digits through the first half of the first game of the 2025-26 NCAA season.
But by halftime, the Arizona team were in front and on their way to a tone-setting win over reigning NCAA champion Florida.
Arizona suffered its first season-opening loss in 20 years, falling 84-75 to UCLA at T-Mobile Arena in a Hall of Fame Series game.
The Wildcats fell behind 14 points midway through the first half and trailed by as many as 16, yet managed to make it a one-point game with just over three minutes to go but couldn’t complete the comeback.
UCLA head coach Mike Cronin, in a postgame interview on the TNT broadcast, speaks of his team’s performance, saying, “We’re more athletic than we’ve been. I have not had a bad day coaching this team, and I know that’s hard for everybody to believe out there.”
UCLA will play their first home opener on Thursday night against Cal Poly.
