Huskies get Big East marching orders
Seton Hall is road opener before Pitino and St. John’s come calling Dec. 23
The full 20-game Big East schedule for the Uconn men’s basketball season was announced Friday, and the defending national champions get started at Dan Hurley’s alma mater, Seton Hall, on Dec. 20.
The Big East opener comes just five days after Uconn completes its bruising nonconference schedule with Gonzaga on the other side of the continental U.S. on Dec. 15.
Uconn will play eight games at Gampel Pavilion and eight at the XL Center in Hartford, the home venues to be announced after the Big East determines tip times and TV designations, according to a team release.
The Huskies kick off their Big East home slate with Rick Pitino and St. John’s on Dec. 23 and, after a short holiday break, will start 2024 with Depaul at home on Jan. 2.
They will be on the road for games at Butler (Jan. 5) and Xavier (Jan. 10) before hosting Ed Cooley and Georgetown on Jan. 14 and Creighton three days later.
A Saturday matchup with Villanova at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 20 precedes an eight-day break before a two-game homestand against Xavier and Providence on Jan. 28 and 31.
Uconn will make its fourth appearance at Madison Square Garden after three in the nonconference when it visits St. John’s on Feb. 3, then returns home for Butler on Feb. 6.
The Huskies will head to the nation’s capital to meet Georgetown on Feb. 10, then visit Depaul in Chicago on Feb. 14.
Defending Big East regular-season and tournament champion Marquette returns to Connecticut on Saturday, Feb. 17, before the Huskies make a tough road trip to Creighton on Feb. 20.
Uconn’s home slate wraps up with Villanova (Feb. 24) and Seton Hall (March 3) before the Huskies finish their season
with two games on the road at Marquette (March 6) and Providence (March 9).
The Big East Tournament will be held at Madison Square Garden from March 13-16.
Uconn finished fourth in the Big East with a 13-7 record last season and lost to Marquette in the semifinal round of the conference tournament before beginning its run to the program’s fifth national championship.
The full schedule (home games in bold):
Nov. 6 – Northern Arizona (GP or XL) Nov. 11 – Stonehill (GP or XL)
Nov. 14 – Mississippi Valley State (GP or XL)
Nov. 19 – vs. Indiana (Empire Classic, Madison Square Garden);
Nov. 20 – vs. Texas/louisville (Empire Classic, MSG)
Nov. 24 – Manhattan (GP or XL)
Nov. 27 – New Hampshire (GP or XL)
Dec. 1 – at Kansas (Big East-big 12 Battle)
Dec. 5 – vs. North Carolina (Jimmy V Classic, MSG)
Dec. 9 – Arkansas-pine-bluff (GP or XL)
Dec. 15 – vs. Gonzaga (Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle)
Dec. 20 – at Seton Hall (Prudential Center) *
Dec. 23 – St. John’s (GP or XL) *
Jan. 2 – Depaul (GP or XL) *
Jan. 5 – at Butler (Hinkle Fieldhouse) *
Jan. 10 – at Xavier (Cintas Center) *
Jan. 14 – Georgetown (GP or XL) *
Jan. 17 – Creighton (GP or XL) *
Jan. 20 – at Villanova (Wells Fargo Center) *
Jan. 28 – Xavier (GP or XL) *
Jan. 31 – Providence (GP or XL) *
Feb. 3 – at St. John’s (Madison Square Garden) *
Feb. 6 – Butler (GP or XL) *
Feb. 10 – Georgetown (Capital One Arena) *
Feb. 14 – at Depaul (Wintrust Arena) *
Feb. 17 – Marquette (GP or XL) *
Feb. 20 – at Creighton (CHI Health Center) *
Feb. 24 – Villanova (GP or XL) *
March 3 – Seton Hall (GP or XL) *
March 6 – at Marquette (Fiserv Forum) *
March 9 – at Providence (Amica Mutual Pavilion) *
March 13-16 – Big East Tournament (MSG)
* indicates BIG EAST conference game