Kentucky and UCLA have long been parallel programs.There have been occasional run-ins, namely the 1975 national championship game and a spat of meetings in the 1990s and 2000s, but the two teams with the most national championships in the history of the game have had separate existences.For the next three years, that’s changing.UK and UCLA will have their first of three December matchups in as many seasons this weekend, starting a relationship John Calipari believes will be mutually beneficial. “We want a tie to programs like that,” Coach Cal said. “That’s what we want.”The first game comes in the inaugural CBS Sports Classic at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, capping a doubleheader kicked off by North Carolina and Ohio State at Chicago’s United Center. The next two matchups will be at Pauley Pavilion and Rupp Arena, respectively, but the first one is the focus for now.”It’s going to be a great experience to play against them, and being able to play at a neutral site is going to be fun,” Trey Lyles said. “Hopefully we go out there and get the win.” UK (11-0), of course, enters the game with an unblemished record and a No. 1 ranking, while UCLA (8-3) is out of the polls in spite of winning four of its last five games. The Bruins are led by second-year head coach Steve Alford, with whom Calipari shares a close relationship.”I’ve known him for years and years,” Calipari said. “We’ve become close, but I knew him when he was at Southwest Missouri State. … He and I have been close. When he went to Iowa, I think we played. They beat us when I was at Memphis, one of my first years. But he’s a terrific coach, just a great guy.”Calipari and Alford will match wits on Saturday, but the two have very different teams.Kentucky has suffocating depth and the platoon system, ranking second in the nation in bench minutes and featuring no player playing more than 24.5 minutes per game. Willie Cauley-Stein is the closest thing the Cats have to a traditional statistical standout, posting team bests of 10.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game on a group perhaps most noteworthy for its balance.UCLA, on the other hand, relies heavily on a capable starting five. Each Bruin starter is averaging double digits in points and four are playing at least 31 minutes per game, led by Bryce Alford. Alford, his head coach’s middle child, is averaging 18 points and 6.7 assists in 34.9 minutes per game.”He’s one of those guys — and there’s not many in the country — that can take over a game and change the complexion of a game within a minute and a half,” Calipari said. “And the reason is he can pull up from anywhere, he makes free throws, he can get you in foul trouble, his three off the bounce, off the catch, very, very skilled and a great passer.”Alford has good options when he does pass, including freshman forward Kevon Looney, who is averaging a double-double with 13.9 points and 10.9 rebounds to establish himself as a potential top-10 pick. Senior guard Norman Powell, meanwhile, is averaging 17.4 points and shooting 46.7 percent from 3-point range.”He’s like a scoring machine,” Calipari said. “He’s got some physique to him, he can get to the rim, he can make threes. He and Bryce in the backcourt have complemented each other.”The question, however, is how the Bruins will handle that UK depth.The Cats have overwhelmed so far this season, winning all 11 of their games by double digits largely thanks to their ability to wear down the opposition with waves of depth. “That’s the whole idea of the platoon system is to try to bring in fresh bodies and wear the other team down,” said Tyler Ulis, who will return to his hometown for the UCLA game. “I feel like every game we’re coming in with the same attitude to try to attack them and get after it.”Lyles, meanwhile, has heard the talk of UK sprinting past UCLA thanks to that depth, but he knows the on-paper advantage grants them nothing.”That may be true, but they have guys who can make plays and score the ball and do other things,” Lyles said. “We’re not going to look down on them because of that. We’re going to accept the challenge and go out there and play to the best of our ability and play as a team.” Ultimately, UK is more concerned with maximizing its own potential than in playing any blue-blood matchup like Saturday’s or engaging in the best-team-since-when hype that’s already swirling.”I think all of us let it go in one ear and out the other, because it really doesn’t matter if we don’t go out there and perform, so we need to go out there and play to the best of our abilities, and play as a team and continue to win,” Lyles said. “So once the season is said and done, they can say that then.”