Nonconference Schedule Gets Tougher Next Season

The criticism UCLA is taking for its weak nonconference schedule should ease next season, when the Bruins face several traditional powers.

With most of the 2000-2001 lineup completed, they are already committed to playing in Coaches vs. Cancer in New York, a tournament that includes Kansas, Kentucky and St. John’s, and against Georgia Tech in the Wooden Classic.

There are also trips to Purdue and DePaul and a Pauley Pavilion game against North Carolina. All three are completions of the home-and-home series that began this season, with Purdue coming to Westwood on Thursday and the Bruins going to Chapel Hill in January.

UCLA is also trying to complete plans for a game in 2000-2001 with another prominent program for national television, much like the one-game trip to North Carolina and the one-game trip to Syracuse in February.

TONIGHT

vs. Pepperdine, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Pauley Pavilion.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Bruins 6-2, Waves 8-3.

* Update--UCLA’s loss to Colorado State and near-loss to South Florida in the Pearl Harbor Classic dropped it from 18th to 23rd in the Associated Press poll. Pepperdine is playing a ranked team for the third time this month, after losing at Kansas by 15 and to Auburn in Puerto Rico by 11.

* Tickets--(310) UCLA-WIN.