LAS VEGAS — The Pac-12 as we know it may be a shell of its former self, but Tuesday’s season-opening matchup between two of the conference’s most prestigious ex-programs proved that the spirit of what was once college basketball’s most chaotic corridor still lives on.
No. 22 UCLA, who has largely gone under-the-radar in preseason previews, managed to survive a furious late rally from No. 5 Arizona, who’s widely considered to be one of the nation’s leading title contenders. Although UCLA escaped The Strip with an 84-78 victory in tow, Arizona erased a 16-point Bruin lead and gave their longtime rival all they could handle in a game that resembled some other classics between the two universities in this city.
Another Bruin/Wildcat Classic
Perhaps there was no chance this game would ever disappoint, especially when you consider the fact that the Pac-12’s patron saint (and UCLA hero) Bill Walton was posthumously honored by the Basketball Hall of Fame at halftime. One of the great parts of the Hall of Fame series is the fact that so many legends of the game get their chance to be honored for what they achieved. And even though Chill Bill is no longer with us in this realm, he’ll always be wherever two classic Pac-12 schools are playing a basketball game.
Even in a loss, however, Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov was head and shoulders the best player in the gym. The explosive wing of German and Russian descent finished with a game-high 38 points on 12-of-26 shooting, putting the team entirely on his back for the entire 40-minute contest. The fact Arizona was even in the game at all down the stretch, much less in a position to win, was entirely a testament to his performance.
Ivan Kharchenkov is single-handedly keeping Arizona in this game. pic.twitter.com/GvE00zEnaV
— PHNX Wildcats (@PHNX_Wildcats) November 3, 2026
Trent Perry led a balanced performance for the Bruins, tallying 21 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Eric Dailey Jr. and Jaylen Petty each tallied 13 points, while Nikola Kusturica added nine and Xavier Booker added eight.
First Half Woes For UA
After Ivan Kharchenkov opened the scoring for Arizona on a basket assisted by surprise starter Bryce James, not much went right for the Wildcats in the first half. UCLA broke off a pole-shifting 14-0 run that not only put the Bruins ahead 23-17 early, it put them ahead for good and also served to completely demoralize their higher-ranked opponents.
14-0 run for the Bruins!
UCLA 27, Arizona 13
10:10 | 1st Half#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/uJPgTRjIA3— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) November 3, 2026
UCLA led by as many as 16 points before halftime, taking a 41-29 lead despite the fact Kharchenkov went nuclear and scored 18 of those points for Arizona.
As much as the highly partisan, pro-Wildcats crowd at T-Mobile Arena tried to re-instill the team’s spirit, it simply wasn’t there until Motieju Krivas converted a thunderous and-one slam that cut UCLA’s 13-point lead to 10, 48-38, with 16:49 remaining. From that point, you could tell Arizona’s players had at least bought into the fact they could pull off a comeback, even if it ultimately fell short.
Arizona’s early troubles started with potential No. 1 overall pick Caleb Holt, who missed early and consistently on his way to just 7 points on 2-of-7 shooting. James was a non-factor as well, missing all three of his field goal attempts from the field in a scoreless effort.
Pac-12’s Present
While UCLA vs. Arizona was a reminder of the Pac-12’s past, the evening’s co-main event was a glimpse into its future. No. 15 Gonzaga, now the premier basketball member of the conference’s latest iteration, began its maiden voyage with a hard fought win over a Purdue team that will still be a problem in the Big Ten this season.
Davis Fogle’s performance made it clear he’s going to be the focal point of the Zags’ offensive attack this season, as the sophomore tallied 22 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line.
The obvious breakout season from Davis Fogle is well underway. Opens the season with 22 points and 5 rebounds in Gonzaga's win over Purdue. Struggled to make shots in the second half, but went 9-for-10 from the free-throw line down the stretch. pic.twitter.com/FdnaqL5ynx
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) November 3, 2026
Florida transfer Xavian Lee also impressed in his team debut, posting 18 points while shooting 4-of-7 overall and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Izan Almansa, who recently joined the team after playing for Real Madrid last season, chipped in 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting off the bench (a role he won’t occupy for very long).
A Glimpse Into The Future
With the new-look Pac-12 essentially combining Gonzaga and Texas State with the perennial top half of what used to be the Mountain West Conference, the Zags first year in the rebuilt conference will certainly be a bit tougher than the West Coast Conference has been throughout the years. A maximum of two losses in conference play probably won’t be the standard anymore, which makes these regular season tests against top programs like Purdue all the more important.
The new-look Pac-12 will never be what the former was in totality, but the Zags’ presence along with Utah State and San Diego State will at least give the conference a pulse on the national stage. Gonzaga never won the elusive national title as a member of the WCC, but I believe it would be all the more meaningful if Gonzaga’s first time cutting the nets also doubles as the Pac-12’s official moment of resurrection.
No. 15 Gonzaga begins its Pac-12 Era with a W vs. Purdue
The Bulldogs had spent 46 years in the West Coast Conference. pic.twitter.com/z9LGaTZ85z
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 3, 2026
New Era In West Lafayette
For Purdue, it was obvious the Boilermakers are very much going to be in a transition phase between eras this season.
Braden Smith’s graduation not only means the NCAA’s all-time assist leader is no longer walking through that door, it also means that there are no ties to the Purdue team that sat atop the national polls for multiple years, including the two-year stretch where the Boilermakers lost to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023 before making the 2024 National Championship game.
Still, Ben Jacobsen’s 22-point outing on an uber-efficient 9-of-11 shooting showed that Purdue still has at least one thing to write home about. Omer Meyer and Caden Pierce will almost certainly be more effective as the season progresses, and CJ Cox should find more success with his shot as well. This obviously won’t be the same Purdue team we’ve gotten used to seeing over the last half-decade, but Matt Painter’s crew should still be a plausible threat in the Big Ten.
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