Determined to get its seven nonconference games in despite a rash of opponent-prompted cancellations, Arizona has added another one, this time against San Diego for Monday at McKale Center. The game will start at 3 p.m. and be carried on Pac-12 Networks.
The addition means the Wildcats, barring any COVID-19 issues, will play Saturday against Stanford in Santa Cruz, Calif., then host games on Monday and Tuesday (Montana) at McKale Center.
Arizona (5-0) fell short of seven nonconference games after California Baptist pulled out of a game scheduled for Wednesday after arriving in Tucson and having a positive test surface within its program. San Diego needed a game after Long Beach State paused and canceled a Dec. 22 matchup with the Toreros after the Beach ran into COVID issues.
The game was easily formed thanks to a connection between Ryan Reynolds, Arizona's director of basketball operations, and San Diego assistant coach Lance LaVetter, a Rincon High graduate who was a longtime operations director for Lorenzo Romar's Washington program.
"I had a list of 15 or 20 who could drive here in under 10 hours in case things could happen," Reynolds said. "I've been talking to Lance on and off the whole time in case something happened but he called me and then we worked it out. We talked to a few other schools tool. There’s only so many that can drive here."
The Wildcats have had five cancellations or postponements involved with their seven-game nonconference schedule, while its Pac-12 opener against Colorado was pushed back from Dec. 2 to Dec. 28. Only UA's Nov. 27 opener against Grambling and its Dec. 9 game against Cal State Bakersfield have been played as scheduled, while its game Saturday was moved from Stanford to Santa Cruz in order to escape a Santa Clara County health order prohibiting games or practices.
It will be the first time the Wildcats have ever played back-to-back games outside the Pac-12 Tournament, Maui Invitational or Diamond Head Classic.
While it's a potentially busy schedule, the Wildcats will take a charter flight back from Santa Cruz and arrive in Tucson around 11 p.m., giving them an entire day to rest and prepare for their two home games.
Playing the games on Monday and Tuesday also allows the Wildcats to take two or three days off over Christmas, although it is not expected most will be able to return to their homes because of COVID-19 protocols that could require isolation periods upon returning to Tucson.
