Huskies’ schedule stacked this season

Team has lined up a grueling slate of non-conference foes this season

When the preseason men’s basketball AP Top 25 poll is released in a little more than a month, UConn won’t be on it.

But a bunch of Husky opponents for the upcoming season will be.

UConn’s 2017-18 schedule was released Friday, and there’s no question the Huskies have lined up a grueling non-conference slate this season. And that goes along with an American Athletic Conference schedule that will be tougher than recent years. UConn will play at least six games against teams almost certainly be ranked in the preseason Top 25. Arizona, whom the Huskies face on Dec. 21 on the road, could very well be preseason No. 1. Villanova, the old Big East foe that starts a three-game series with UConn on Jan. 20 in Hartford, will likely be a top 10 team.

Then there’s four games against a pair of AAC teams, Wichita State and Cincinnati, who will likely be at least preseason top 15. Wichita State, in its inaugural season in the league, returns every key player from last year’s 31-win team and could find itself

in the preseason top-5. The Shockers first AAC game will be against UConn on Dec. 30 at the XL Center in a noon game televised by CBS.

Cincinnati has its top three scorers back from a team that won 30 games last season and could be one of coach Mick Cronin’s best teams.

And that’s not even counting non-conference games against Oregon, which lost three NBA draft picks from last year’s Final Four team but is still a Pac 12 powerhouse, Syracuse and Auburn. AAC foes SMU, UCF, Houston and Temple should also provide real challenges for the Huskies this season.

And, of course, if UConn beats Oregon in its opening game of the PK80 Invitational on Nov. 23 in Portland, Oregon, it will likely face Michigan State — another likely preseason top-5 team. In fact, the Huskies could end up playing Oregon, Michigan State and defending national champion North Carolina in that mega preseason tourney.

No question, it’s a tough slate — especially for a team with eight newcomers and just two players (Jalen Adams and Christian Vital) who played significant minutes last season. The Huskies kick things off at home against Colgate on Nov. 10, then get Stony Brook and Boston University before heading out to Portland.

BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE

Monday, Oct. 30 vs. Merrimack (XL Center, 7 p.m.): An exhibition game vs. Northeast-10 more used to playing SCSU and New Haven. Sunday, Nov. 5 vs. Queens College (Gampel, 5:30 p.m.: Exhibition will be first game under new roof at Gampel. Friday, Nov. 10 vs. Colgate (GP, 7 p.m., SNY): UConn has won seven straight vs. Patriot League foes, dating back to 1974. Tuesday, Nov. 14 vs. Stony Brook (XL, 7 p.m., SNY): Part of the PK80 Invitational … sort of. Sunday, Nov. 19 vs. Boston University. (XL, 6 p.m., SNY): New Haven’s Walter Whyte should be impact freshman for Terriers. Thursday, Nov. 23 vs. Oregon (Moda Center, 9 p.m., ESPNU): Ducks lost three NBA draft picks from Final Four team that beat UConn in Maui last November Friday, Nov. 24 vs. Michigan State/DePaul (Veterans Col., TBD): Huskies will face either Tom Izzo’s Spartans or Dave Leitao’s Blue Demons in PK80 Invitational bout. Sunday, Nov. 26 TBD: UConn will play third and final game of PK 80 Invitational. Wednesday, Nov. 29 vs. Columbia (GP, 7 p.m., SNY): UConn is 8-2 all-time against Lions. Saturday, Dec. 2 vs. Monmouth (XL, 4 p.m., SNY): King Rice’s Hawks have been a MAAC powerhouse last few years. Tuesday, Dec. 5 vs. Syracuse (MSG, 9 p.m., ESPN): Old Big East rivals will play for third time in three years, this time at Jimmy V Classic in Madison Square Garden. Saturday, Dec. 9 vs. Coppin State (GP, TBD, ESPN2/ESPNU): Last time Huskies played Eagles, Amida Brimah scored career-high 40 points. Thursday, Dec. 21 at Arizona (McKale Center, TBD, TBD): Beginning of home-and-home series with Wildcats, who will be preseason No. 1 on a lot of lists Saturday, Dec. 23 at Auburn (Auburn Arena, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2): Bruce Pearl’s Tigers dropped UConn in OT last December in Hartford. Saturday, Dec. 30 vs. Wichita State (XL, noon, CBS): This will be first-ever AAC game and first visit to Connecticut by new AAC mates, who’ll be a preseason national top-10. Wednesday, Jan. 3 at Tulsa (Reynolds Center, 7 p.m, ESPNews): Will Huskies visit the Bob Dylan Archives center on campus during their visit? Saturday, Jan. 6 vs. East Carolina (XL, noon, ESPNews): Pirates have one of AAC’s better all-around players in Kentrell Barkley. Wednesday, Jan. 10 vs. UCF (GP, 7 p.m., CBSSN): Knights are led by the long (7-foot-6 Tacko Fall) and short (highscoring guard B.J. Taylor) of it. Saturday, Jan. 13 at Tulane (Devlin Fieldhouse, 1 p.m., ESPNews): Led by talented Cameron Reynolds, Mike Dunleavy, Sr.’s Green Wave should be improved. Tuesday, Jan. 16 at Memphis (FedExForum, 9 p.m., CBSSN): The Lawson brothers (AAC top rebounder Dedric, rookie of the year K.J.) are now in Kansas. Saturday, Jan. 20 vs. Villanova (XL, noon, CBS): Start of three-game series vs. former Big East foes. Thursday, Jan. 25 vs. SMU (GP, 7 p.m., CBSSN): UConn gets reprieve, won’t travel to Dallas for its annual thrashing by the Mustangs this season. Sunday, Jan. 28 at Temple (Liacouras Center, 8 p.m., ESPN2): Jalen Adams’ lastsecond layup beat Owls in Philly last February. Wednesday, Jan. 31 at UCF (CFE Arena, 9 p.m., CBSSN): Watch out for coach Johnny Dawkins’ son, Aubrey, who might be league’s best newcomer. Saturday, Feb. 3 vs. Cincinnati (GP, noon, ESPN/ESPN2): This will be a homecoming for East Hartford native/Sacred Heart transfer Caine Broome. Wednesday, Feb. 7 vs. USF (GP, 7 p.m., ESPNU):Just about everybody’s gone from last year’s 7-23 train wreck. Saturday, Feb. 10 at Wichita State (Koch Arena, TBD, ESPN): UConn’s only previous meeting vs. Shockers was in 2010 Maui Invitational. Kemba happened. Thursday, Feb. 15 vs. Tulsa (XL, 7 p.m., ESPNU):Golden Hurricane has nearly everyone back from last year’s 15-17 team. Sunday, Feb. 18 at ECU (Minges Coliseum, 3 p.m., ESPNews): Site of one of UConn’s more disheartening league losses last March. Thursday, Feb. 22 at Cincinnati (BB&T Arena, 7 p.m., ESPN): High-powered Bearcats will give Wichita State a run for its money at top of league standings. Sunday, Feb. 25 vs. Memphis (GP, 2⁄4 p.m., ESPN/ESPNU): Tubby Smith’s Tigers were decimated by transfer, graduation last spring. Wednesday, Feb. 28 vs. Temple (GP, 7 p.m., CBSSN): Led by Obi Echeniyonia, Shizz Alston, Quinton Rose, Owls should be much-improved this season. Sunday, March 4 at Houston (TBD, 4 p.m., CBSSN): Game will be played either at Texas Southern or Toyota Center, home of Houston Rockets. Thursday-Sunday, March 8-11 AAC Championships (ESPN): At the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida – where UConn won its only other AAC title two years ago.

PAT EATON-ROBB — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS From left, UConn players Antwoine Anderson, Kwintin Williams and David Onuorah prepare to meet the media on Thursday in Storrs.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO UConn head coach Kevin Ollie reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Cincinnati in Storrs, Conn., Sunday, March 5, 2017.