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UConn men’s and women’s basketball will both play in the 2021 Never Forget Tribute Classic at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Dec. 11, the school announced Tuesday.
Geno Auriemma’s crew will face UCLA at 1 p.m. on ABC while Dan Hurley’s squad will take on St. Bonaventure at 3:30/4 p.m. on ESPN2.
Dan Hurley’s squad will face-off against St. Bonaventure while Geno Auriemma’s crew will face UCLA.
“The Never Forget Tribute Classic is going to be a great event for UConn fans,” Auriemma said in the release. “We get to face a really good opponent in UCLA and raise money for a great cause. Being able to play in a doubleheader with our men’s team is really special for our fans who haven’t seen us in person in over a year.”
“It is an honor for us to once again be a part of the Never Forget Tribute Classic as we play a part in supporting an important cause,” Hurley said in the release. “We will need UConn Nation to make the trip with us to the Prudential Center as we square-off against an outstanding opponent.”
For the women’s team, the Bruins are the final non-conference opponents on the schedule. They will open the season at home against Arkansas on Nov. 14 and then host Notre Dame and Tennessee as well, though those dates have not yet been announced. UConn will also travel to Georgia Tech (Dec. 9), South Carolina, and Oregon (dates TBA) while also playing Louisville at Mohegan Sun (Dec. 19) and in the Battle 4 Atlantis from Nov. 20-22, opening with Minnesota.
Much of the men’s non-conference schedule is still yet to be released. The Huskies are expected to open the campaign on Nov. 9 against CCSU and will also play Grambling State at home on Dec. 4. UConn will travel to Morgantown to face West Virginia in the Big East-Big 12 Battle on Dec. 8 and will also play three games in the Battle 4 Atlantis from Nov. 24-26.
This is the second time the Huskies’ men’s basketball team has play in the Never Forget Tribute Classic. UConn fell to Florida State in its previous appearance back in 2018-19 — Hurley’s first season at the helm.