Arizona announced that its game with Alabama next season will be part of the "Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series" of games at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Dec. 20.
No game time, ticket information or television coverage was announced, however.
The game surfaced publicly in March, with next season's game planned at Phoenix and a return game scheduled for Birmingham during the 2024-25 season.
The two "UAs" completed a two-year home-and-home series in 2018-19, and the renewal underlines the strong relationship between Alabama AD Greg Byrne and Arizona AD Dave Heeke, both of whom are serving on this seasonβs NCAA basketball committee. Byrne was Arizonaβs athletic director until January 2017, while Heeke, who once worked for Byrneβs father in Oregonβs athletic department, took over at Arizona two months later.
During the first basketball season the ADs were in their new roles, Arizona and Alabama began a two-year home-and-home series in which each team won on its home floor. The Wildcats won 88-82 at McKale Center on Dec. 9, 2017, and the Crimson Tide took the return game in Tuscaloosa 76-73 on Dec. 9, 2018.
Next season's game will give a chance for Arizona guard Jaden Bradley to face his old team after he transferred from the Crimson Tide following last season.
Arizona's 2023-24 schedule to date:
Nov. 6 Morgan State, at McKale Center
Nov. 10 at Duke
Nov 12 at Southern
Nov. 19 low-major TBA, at McKale Center
Nov. 23 Michigan State, at Thousand Palms, Calif., 2:30 p.m. (Fox)
Dec. 9. Wisconsin, at McKale Center
Dec. 16 Purdue, at Indianapolis
Dec. 20 Alabama, at Phoenix
NOTE: Most times/TV and all Pac-12 games TBA. All Pac-12 games will be played after Christmas in 2023-24.
