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LOS ANGELES – The UCLA women's basketball team will play 11 non-conference games this upcoming season, highlighted by road trips to powerhouse programs in Baylor on Nov. 14 and South Carolina on Dec. 18 and a home game versus Michigan on Dec. 11.
The Bruins' non-conference schedule features five games in Pauley Pavilion, one contest at UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 14 and two games as part of the Cancun Challenge (Nov. 24-25).
For the past three years, the Bruins' non-conference strength of schedule has been ranked in the Top 5 in the country and was tops in the Pac-12 for the third straight year. In 2013-14, UCLA's non-league strength of schedule ranked No. 3 in the country while it was No. 1 in 2014-15 and No. 4 in 2015-16. Overall, the Bruins had the toughest strength of schedule in the country (according to the Sagarin Ratings) as UCLA finished at No. 9 in the NCAAs final ranking after concluding the season with a 26-9 record and its first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 1999. Furthermore, the Bruins played more Top 50 teams in country last year than any other programs, going 13-9 in those contests.
"Our philosophy is and has always been to give our women the opportunity to be challenged and measure themselves against the best teams in the country," UCLA Head Coach Cori Close said. "It has paid dividends for us and our conference as the Pac-12 was rated the No. 1 conference in the country last season."
After a home exhibition game with Westmont on Nov. 3, the Bruins will open the season against Pacific (12-17) in a double-header with both men's teams in Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 11. The Bruins then hit the road to take on Baylor (36-2) in Waco, Texas on Nov. 14. The Lady Bears lost in the Elite Eight a year ago to Pac-12 foe Oregon State, 60-57. UCLA then returns home to host Southern University (17-12) on Nov. 18. The Jaguars lost on the road in the first round of the WNIT. The Bruins will then host Cal Poly (15-16) on Nov. 20 with another double-header with the Bruins' men's team as they host Long Beach State.
The Bruins will then head to the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya just south of Cancun, Mexico to participate in the Riviera Division of the 2016 Cancun Challenge, slated for Nov. 24-26. UCLA is making its first-ever trip and is slated to open the tournament with Iowa (19-14) on Nov. 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The Hawkeyes lost at home in the first round of the WNIT. The Bruins will conclude tournament action with Toledo (17-13) on Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
After the holiday tournament, UCLA will return home to host two NCAA Tournament teams it beat during the 2015-16 season. The Bruins will start with a rematch of its NCAA First Round win over Hawai'i on Dec. 4. The Rainbow Wahine fell to UCLA 66-50 and finished the year with a 21-11 record. The Bruins then host Michigan on Dec. 11 after posting wins over the Wolverines in Ann Arbor, Mich. in each of the last two seasons. The Wolverines finished the season at 21-14 after a loss at Florida Gulf Coast in the semifinals of the WNIT.
UCLA concludes the non-conference slate with three straight road games. The Bruins will head to UC Santa Barbara (11-20) on Dec. 14 before heading to Columbia, S.C. to take on the Gamecocks on Dec. 18. The Bruins fell to USC 68-65 in Pauley Pavilion last season, their only home loss all year (15-1). The Gamecocks ended the year with a 33-2 record after losing to Syracuse in the Sweet Sixteen.
The Bruins will conclude the non-conference slate with a road game at North Carolina A&T (19-12), which lost to Notre Dame in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The UCLA women's basketball team earned its 13th appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2016 before falling to Texas in the Sweet 16, 72-64. The Bruins have said goodbye to starters Kacy Swain (6.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Nirra Fields (15.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg), who ended her career in the top 10 in UCLA history in eight statistical categories, including scoring and steals. Head Coach Cori Close, who was named the Region Five Coach of the Year after leading her crew to a 26-9 record last season, will be joined by 10 returners, including three starters. Veteran guard Kori Korver (8.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg) will make this season her final Bruin campaign and is already ranked in the top 10 in program history in 3-point percentage, makes and attempts. Korver also stands as the best free-throw shooter in UCLA history at 83.2 percent. Junior point guard Jordin Canada (16.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg) was named to the John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top-20 list, one of three Pac-12 players to earn the honor. Another starter, junior forward Monique Billings (12.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg) looks to solidify the Bruins' frontcourt. They will be bolstered by three highly-touted newcomers in senior guard Nicole Kornet (Oklahoma transfer) and incoming freshmen Lindsey Corsaro (Indianapolis/Roncalli HS) and Ally Rosenblum (Newport Coast, Calif./Mater Dei HS).
Women's basketball season tickets are on sale now at the UCLA Central Ticket Office (310-UCLA-WIN). For more ticket information, or to buy tickets now, click here.
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UCLA's Non-Conference Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Venue |
| Nov. 3 | Westmont | Pauley Pavilion (Exhibition) |
| Nov. 11 | Pacific | Pauley Pavilion |
| Nov. 14 | at Baylor | Ferrell Center |
| Nov. 18 | Southern University | Pauley Pavilion |
| Nov. 20 | Cal Poly | Pauley Pavilion |
| Nov. 24 | vs. Iowa | Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (Cancun Challenge) |
| Nov. 25 | vs. Toledo | Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (Cancun Challenge) |
| Dec. 4 | Hawai'i | Pauley Pavilion |
| Dec. 11 | Michigan | Pauley Pavilion |
| Dec. 14 | at UC Santa Barbara | The Thunderdome |
| Dec. 18 | at South Carolina | Colonial Life Arena |
| Dec. 20 | at North Carolina A&T | Corbett Sports Center |