UCLA in Wooden Classic

UCLA, Boston College, Arizona and Mississippi State have been selected to participate in the 11th annual John R. Wooden Classic at the Arrowhead Pond on Dec. 5.

Boston College, which will play UCLA, and Mississippi State will be making their first appearances in the doubleheader, which is an annual tribute to the legendary former UCLA coach.

UCLA, which will make its eighth Classic appearance, has a 5-2 record in the event.

Boston College is the first team to participate from the Big East Conference since Villanova in 1995. The Eagles feature three players with Southern California ties: junior forward Craig Smith of L.A. Fairfax High, sophomore guard-forward Sean Marshall from Rialto Eisenhower and sophomore forward Jared Dunlap of San Diego Horizon.

Arizona, which figures to be one of the highest-ranked teams in the nation next season and is led by center Channing Frye and guard Hassan Adams, will play in the Classic for the third time, having won games in 2001 against Purdue and in 1996 against Utah.

Mississippi State is the defending Southeastern Conference regular-season champion and returns SEC player of the year Lawrence Roberts.