UCLA basketball: Bruins continue to toughen up schedule

UCLA basketball Coach Steve Alford promised to beef up his team’s schedule, and the program took another step in that direction with the announcement that the Bruins will play Kentucky in Chicago on Dec. 20.

The game is part the CBS Sports Classic, which UCLA has committed to participate in the next three seasons.

The Bruins had an impressive 11-2 non-conference record before starting Pac-12 play last season. It was built on a light schedule, which included only one team that reached the NCAA tournament. UCLA lost to Duke in Madison Square Garden.

Alford, who inherited that non-conference schedule, said last fall that he intended to play more quality teams.

This season, the Bruins will play in the Battle for Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. The tournament also includes North Carolina, Georgetown, Florida, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. UCLA is also expected to play Gonzaga at Pauley Pavilion, though the date of that game has not been announced.