UConn men's basketball non-league schedule is set. Breaking down the challenging slate
· Yahoo Sports
The UConn men's basketball team will undertake arguably its toughest nonconference schedule in program history. The Huskies will face seven high-major programs who finished the 2025-26 season in the top-25 KenPom rankings, including the top three and four of the top five.
And that's before play begins in the Big East, which is expected to be more competitive this season with likely top-25 teams like St. John's and Villanova as well as improved squads like Marquette, Creighton and Providence.
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The Big East schedule is still about a week or so away from being released.
But here's a breakdown of the Huskies' incredible non-conference slate:
Gardner Webb
Monday, Nov. 2 at Gampel Pavilion
The Huskies face the Runnin' Bulldogs for the first time in 19 years … after facing them twice in a five-day span in 2007! UConn beat GWU 78-66 in a 2K Sports College Hoops Classic bout on Nov. 15, 2007 at Madison Square Garden after the Runnin' Bulldogs upset Kentucky in a first-round game. Five days later, in an already-scheduled regular-season matchup, the Huskies prevailed again, 89-72.
All-time series: UConn, 2-0
Last year: Gardner-Webb went 4-29 overall, 1-15 in the Big South.
Familiar faces: Sam Nosakhare spent his freshman season at Quinnipiac after playing at Putnam Science Academy. David Gaymon is also a PSA product.
Michigan
Friday, Nov. 6 at TD Garden, Boston
An immediate rematch of April's national championship game, only with a lot of new faces. Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. are gone from UConn's roster; NBA lottery picks Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson are among the Wolverines' major departures. And so is head coach Dusty May, who surprisingly bolted the program a few months after winning the natty to take over the Dallas Mavericks. Former Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton Jr. now coaches the Wolverines.
All-time series: Michigan, 3-2
Last year: We think you know.
Familiar faces: Elliot Cadeau, who torched the Huskies for 19 points in the national title game, is the top returnee, along with Trey McKenney.
UConn's Braylon Mullins will go up against Michigan's Trey McKenney (1) and Elliot Cadeau in a national championship game rematch on Nov. 6 at Boston's TD Garden. (Michael Conroy/AP Photo/Michael Conroy)Wagner
Monday, Nov. 9
Revenge game! Huskies face the Seahawks for first time since Nov. 11, 2016, when Wagner waltzed into Gampel Pavilion on Opening Night and scored a 67-58 victory. Three nights later, UConn lost to Northeastern in Gampel, an 0-2 start to an ultimate 16-17 embarrassing season.
Of course, Wagner is also where Dan Hurley got his start as a college head coach, turning a four-win program into a 25-win team in just two seasons. One of his losses? A 78-66 setback to Jim Calhoun and the Huskies on Nov. 14, 2011 in Gampel.
All-time series: UConn, 5-1.
Last year: Wagner went 14-17 overall and 8-10 in the Northeast Conference, though it upset CCSU in the league tournament quarterfinals.
Familiar faces: NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady is listed as the program's strategic advisor.
Ohio State
Friday, Nov. 13 at PeoplesBank Arena, Hartford
Yet another bout with a Big Ten squad, this one against a borderline-top 25 Buckeye team led by high-scoring returning guard John Mobley Jr. (15.7 ppg).
All-time series: Ohio State, 4-3
Last year: Buckeyes went 21-13 overall, 12-8 in the Big Ten and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years.
Familiar faces: Justin Pippen is the son of Hall of Famer Scottie.
Arizona
Wednesday, Nov. 18 at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz.
The Wildcats handed UConn its only nonconference, regular-season loss last year, traipsing into Gampel Pavilion on Nov. 19 as the No. 1 team in the nation and edging an undermanned Huskies team 71-67 behind 21 points from Jaden Bradley and 16 from Koa Peat. Both Reed and Mullins sat out of the game with injuries. Bradley and Peat, along with No. 10 overall pick Brayden Burries, were all selected in the NBA Draft. Now, the Huskies will try to exact a little revenge in the second part of a home-and-home series.
All-time series: UConn, 5-3
Last year: 36-3 overall, 16-1 in Big 12, got blown out by Michigan 91-73 in Final Four.
Familiar faces: Motiegus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov are returning starters from last year's team, but the most famous face belongs to Bryce James, who sat out his freshman season as a redshirt. His father is a guy named LeBron James. You may have heard of him.
Bryce James, here as a senior at Sierra Canyon High, sat out his first season at Arizona as a redshirt but should be available to play when the Huskies face the Wildcats on Nov. 18 in Tucson. (Gregory Payan/AP)Duke
Wednesday, Nov. 25 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Quite possibly the most anticipated non-conference game of the entire college basketball season. You know the history: Christian Laettner's buzzer-beater in 1990, UConn's national title win in 1999 and Final Four triumph in 2004, the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes and, of course, Braylon Mullins' Boozer-beater last March. Duke appeared on a course for its sixth national title before Mullins, Reed, Karaban, Silas Demary Jr. & Co. intervened in the Elite Eight. No. 3 overall draft pick Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans have moved on, but the Blue Devils should still be a preseason top-five team in the AP poll.
All-time series: Duke, 6-5
Last year: Devils went 35-3 overall, 17-1 in the ACC and were the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. They had a 15-point lead on UConn at halftime in the Elite Eight. And then ...
Familiar faces: Cameron Boozer may be a Memphis Grizzly, but his twin brother, Cayden, is back. It was Cayden's pass that was deflected by Demary and led to Mullins' 35-footer with :0.4 seconds left last March.
Duke guard Cayden Boozer sits in the locker room after their Elite Eight game of the NCAA college basketball tournament against UConn, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Washington. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)Rider
Monday, Nov. 30
Tucked precipitously between an Elite Eight rematch with Duke and a Final Four rematch in Vegas, the Broncs can only hope the Huskies overlook them a bit (unlikely with Hurley at the helm). This will be just the second time the programs have met. The first came in an NCAA Tournament opening round game on March 17, 1994 in Uniondale, N.Y. The Huskie won 64-46.
Last year:Not good: 4-25 overall, 3-17 in the MAAC.
All-Time Series: UConn, 1-0
Illinois
Friday, Dec. 4 at United Center, Chicago
No one has been more of a thorn in Brad Underwood and the Illini's side in recent years than Hurley and the Huskies. There was a mind-blowing, 30-0 run that led to a 77-52 UConn blowout and trip to the 2024 Final Four, where the Huskies wound up copping their second straight national title. Last season, there was a Black Friday victory over the Illini at Madison Square Garden and, about four months later, a 71-62 win in the Final Four.
All-time series: UConn, 5-1
Last year: 28-9 overall, 15-5 in the Big Ten, 0-2 vs. UConn.
Familiar faces: Balkan brothers Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic are back for the Fightin' Illin-ic, and they're joined by ex-Providence scorer Stefan Vaaks.
Head Coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies, left, meets with Head Coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini before the start of their game in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) (Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)Mississippi Valley State
Tuesday, Dec. 8
Hurley typically tries to schedule at least one historically black college/univiersity (HBCU) each season, and he's playing two this season. The Delta Devils will be the first.
All-time series: UConn, 1-0
Last year: 3-30 overall, 2-16 in SWAC.
Familiar faces: No Jerry Rice, but former Indiana coach Mike Davis is the head man, and ex-Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez is an assistant.
Kansas
Saturday, Dec. 12 at Gampel Pavilion
Even if this may not be one of Bill Self's vintage Jayhawk teams, this could be one of the biggest on-campus games in recent Husky history. The Jayhawks handed UConn their only nonconference loss of the season back on Dec. 1, 2023 at Phog Allen Fieldhouse. The Huskies avenged that this past season with a 61-56 triumph again at The Phog, their first win over Kansas in program history. Kansas lost No. 2 overall draft pick Darryn Peterson, among many others, but could still be a preseason top-25 team, fueled by the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, Tyran Stokes.
All-time series: Kansas, 4-1
Last year: Jayhawks went 24-11 overall, 12-6 in the Big 12 and were ousted in the NCAA tourney's Round-of-32 by St. John's.
Familiar faces: Not a single starter returns from last year's team. In fact, this will be the first time the Jayhawks, and Self, have ever visited Gampel. They should get a "warm" greeting.
Kansas head coach Bill Self will make his first visit to Gampel Pavilion when the Jayhawks face the Huskies on Dec. 12. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)Delaware State
Tuesday, Dec. 15
The Huskies' second game this season against an HBCU program.
All-time series: UConn, 3-0
Last year: 8-23 overall, 2-12 in the MEAC
Familiar faces: A pair of Nutmeggers are on the Hornets' roster: Former Bassick High star Isaiah Sullivan of Bridgeport, and ex-Xavier High standout Anthony Parker of Middletown.
Virginia
Sunday, Dec. 20 at Madison Square Garden
A UConn nonconference schedule wouldn't be complete without a trip to the World's Most Famous Arena, and the Cavaliers will present a major challenge, led by All-American candidate Thijs de Ridder. No exaggeration, this could be the Huskies toughest non-league matchup of the season.
All-time series: UConn, 6-2
Last year:Cavs were 30-6 overall and 15-3 in the ACC, earning a 3-seed for the NCAA Tournament and losing to Tennessee in the Round-of-32.
Familiar faces: Not much, though former Syracuse player (and coach) Adrian Autry is now an assistant.
Oh, and let's not forget a challenging exhibition schedule that has been pumped up from two to three games this season:
Tuesday, Oct. 13 vs. Syracuse at Mohegan Sun Arena
Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Michigan State (Breslin Center, East Lansing, Mich.)
Tuesday, Oct. 27 vs. Purdue
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