TUCSON, Ariz. – The unofficial beginning of the 2021-22 Arizona Basketball season tips off on Saturday afternoon with the annual First Watch Red-Blue Game. The intrasquad scrimmage in front of fans in McKale Center is the program's season-opening celebration with adaptive athletics, a slam dunk contest and a shooting competition beforehand.

The event is the first game action for the Wildcats under new head coach Tommy Lloyd as Arizona's handful of returners and talented newcomers take the floor for the first time in front of fans in the program's storied venue.

THE FIRST WATCH RED-BLUE GAME
Date: Saturday, Oct. 2
Time: 3 p.m. (MST)
TV: Pac-12 Networks with Darron Sutton & Matt Muehlebach
Doors Open: 1:30 p.m. (MST), which is 90 minutes prior
Slam Dunk Contestants: Christian Koloko, Azoulas Tubelis, Dalen Terry and Bennedict Mathurin
Giveaways: Team posters will be available for pick up, for free, as fans leave the facility after the event

As a reminder to our loyal supporters about the health and safety guidelines for all basketball home games. In conjunction with the University of Arizona's campus guidance regarding masks and face coverings, we will have the following requirements for fans:

• Fans are required to wear a mask to enter and at all times while in McKale Center
• Fans are required to wear a mask while in restrooms on the concourse level
• Fans are required to wear a mask while circulating the facility and concourse areas
• Fans are permitted to take their mask off only when eating or drinking while in their seats

This will also be our first home basketball event for our mobile ticketing process that we have extensively rolled out. Please check your email inbox where your tickets were delivered and load your tickets for Saturday into your ArizonaWildcats app, Google Pay or Apple Wallet before arriving at McKale. Our new concessions operations, which is now on a cash-less basis, will be open inside the venue, and doors will open 90 minutes before tip-off at 1:30 p.m. For more information on our efficient move to mobile ticketing, please click here.