Pac-12 Announces Weekly Pairings, Non-Conference Set
SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 Conference announced the weekly matchups and site designations for the fast-approaching 2020-21 season on Monday.
As part of the schedule announcement, Colorado women's basketball also released its three non-conference opponents. The Buffaloes will open the season on Nov. 25, hosting Western Colorado. The two other non-conference games will be against Air Force (Nov. 28) and at Denver (Dec. 8).
"We are extremely excited that season is quickly approaching," head coach JR Payne emphasized. "It's hard to believe that with everything we've gone through over the past eight months, games are just days away. This will be an interesting season in many ways and we are excited for it to finally begin."
Conference play in 2020-21 will transition to a 22-game, double-round robin schedule in an effort to maintain the most control over scheduling and environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The season is slated to span 12 weeks from Dec. 4, 2020, to March 1, 2021, with the 2021 Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament scheduled for March 4-7 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
The Conference was set to complete its 10-year rotation as part of its usual 18-game format in 2020-21, and future scheduling formats continue to be discussed.
Colorado is set to open Pac-12 play on the road with visits to Oregon and Oregon State (Dec. 4-7). CU's first conference home game is penciled in for the weekend of Dec. 10-14 against Utah. The game against the Utes opens a five-game homestand that will see Arizona, Arizona State, Washington and Washington State visit the CU Events Center.
The month of January swaps home and away trips every other weekend, in contrast to a busy month on the road in February. The Buffs are set to play six of their eight games in February away from Boulder—including the final three of the season—before hitting the road again for the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. (Mar. 3-7).
All basketball competitions will be conducted in accordance with the Pac-12 COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee health and safety recommendations and guidelines, as previously announced on September 24 when the Pac-12 CEO Group voted to resume football, basketball and winter sport seasons.
Pac-12 2021-22 Weekly Matchups
Dec. 4-7
Colorado/Utah at Oregon/Oregon State
UCLA/USC at Arizona/Arizona State
Washington/Washington State at California/Stanford
Dec. 10-14
Arizona State at Arizona
Oregon at Oregon State
Stanford at California
UCLA at USC
Utah at Colorado
Washington State at Washington
Dec. 18-21
Arizona/Arizona State at Colorado/Utah
California/Stanford at UCLA/USC
Oregon/Oregon State at Washington/Washington State
Jan. 1-4
California/Stanford at Arizona/Arizona State
UCLA/USC at Oregon/Oregon State
Washington/Washington State at Colorado/Utah
Jan. 8-11
Arizona/Arizona State at Washington/Washington State
Colorado/Utah at UCLA/USC
Oregon/Oregon State at Stanford/California
Jan. 14-18
California/Stanford at Colorado/Utah
Oregon/Oregon State at Arizona/Arizona State
Washington/Washington State at UCLA/USC
Jan. 22-25
Colorado/Utah at Arizona/Arizona State
UCLA/USC at California/Stanford
Washington/Washington State at Oregon/Oregon State
Jan. 29-Feb. 1
Arizona/Arizona State at UCLA/USC
California/Stanford at Washington/Washington State
Oregon/Oregon State at Colorado/Utah
Feb. 5-8
Arizona/Arizona State at Oregon/Oregon State
Colorado/Utah at California/Stanford
UCLA/USC at Washington/Washington State
Feb. 12-15
California/Stanford at Oregon/Oregon State
UCLA/USC at Colorado/Utah
Washington/Washington State at Arizona/Arizona State
Feb. 19-22
Arizona/Arizona State at California/Stanford
Colorado/Utah at Washington/Washington State
Oregon/Oregon State at UCLA/USC
Feb. 26-March 1
Arizona at Arizona State
California at Stanford
Colorado at Utah
Oregon State at Oregon
USC at UCLA
Washington at Washington State