UCLA Will Play New Mexico in the Wooden Classic Next Season

After a one-year absence from the basketball doubleheader, UCLA will play in the John R. Wooden Classic, to be held Dec. 6 at the Pond of Anaheim.

The Bruins will play New Mexico, and Stanford and Georgia are expected to play in the other game.

This will be the fourth Wooden Classic. The Bruins played in the first two but missed last year’s, instead playing against Kansas at Pauley Pavilion the day of the Anaheim event.

Wooden Classic organizers first approached UCLA with the idea of the Bruins playing USC.

“We already play USC twice during the season, and we thought it would be better to play someone else,” said UCLA spokesman Marc Dellins.

UCLA and New Mexico have played three times, with the Lobos winning twice. UCLA won, 106-41, in 1954, but lost to the Lobos in 1983 and also in the 1987 preseason NIT.

In November, New Mexico will serve as the host of the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches Classic. USC is included in that field, along with Temple and Providence.