After weeks of closed practices, UCLA men’s basketball will open the doors of Pauley Pavilion to the public on Sunday, holding its first open practice of the season.
“As a coaching staff, we’re all extremely pleased at how hard our guys have been working since preseason practice began a couple weeks ago,” said coach Steve Alford in a statement. “Our team is excited to be back on the court and is committed to getting better each and every day. By opening practice, we have a great opportunity to share this work ethic with our loyal fans and alumni while giving them a behind-the-scenes look at just what it takes to be a member of the UCLA men’s basketball team.”
Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. when Alford will speak to the crowd before practice begins at 3:30 p.m. Fans can meet with the players after practice ends at 5:15 p.m.
Prior to practice, UCLA’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will take part in the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation’s sixth annual Dribble for the Cure event, working alongside the Cancer Research Program at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA Cancer Research Program.
Through its five years of existence, Dribble for the Cure has raised more than half a million dollars toward research for treatment of children with cancer.
“The growing success of the Dribble for the Cure event makes a tremendous impact on the lives of our patients and their families by providing access to clinicaltrials and the development of new strategies to find cures for cancer,” said Dr. Theodore B. Moore, the chief of the division of pediatric hematology/oncology at Mattel Children’s Hospital, in a statement.
The event consists of dribbling a basketball through a 1.2-mile course across the UCLA campus. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at Drake Stadium and the welcome ceremony starts at 10 a.m.