Arizona Wildcats basketball programs prepare for season openers

The Arizona Wildcats men’s and women’s basketball teams are set to begin their 2026-27 seasons in Las Vegas. The men’s team, ranked No. 5 in the AP preseason poll following a 36-3 season and a Final Four appearance, will open against UCLA on November 2.

On the women’s side, head coach Becky Burke leads a rebuilding squad that faces Stanford in their season opener. Both the Arizona and Stanford women’s programs were ranked 13th in their respective conference preseason polls after significant roster changes. While Arizona utilized the transfer portal to replenish its roster, Stanford added three undergraduate transfers to its lineup.