Men’s basketball plays Villanova in a potentially season-defining game at Madison Square Garden

While it may seem premature to label a non-conference, early-season game as the “toughest” or “most important,” nobody’s arguing that UCLA will play one of the best teams in the country tonight, on what is unequivocally basketball’s grandest stage.

By the time UCLA fans sit down for turkey Thursday, they will know what their team is made of.

“(Villanova)’s really good,” coach Ben Howland said.