UConn men’s basketball unveils 2023-24 schedule

The Big East Conference announced its men’s basketball schedule on Friday, which means that UConn’s schedule is complete. The Huskies will play 31 regular season games as they try to repeat as national champions, 16 of which are at home. Away from Connecticut, UConn has 11 true road contests and four neutral-site affairs.

Tip-off times and TV designations will be announced at a later date, as will the split between Gampel Pavilion and XL Center, though there will be eight games at each location.

As has been the case with Dan Hurley non-conference schedules since he came to Storrs, it’s feast or famine, with most of the famine coming at home. The average final KenPom ranking of the six non-conference home games is 302.2 and Northern Arizona (No. 213) is the top team. Meanwhile, the average of the other five is 47.5 and can feature up to three top-10 matchups (Texas, Gonzaga, Kansas).

The season will open on Nov. 6 against Northern Arizona and Tim Russo, who is now on staff with the Lumberjacks, will be able to receive his championship ring and be recognized.

The schedule presses on with a Nov. 11 date against Stonehill, which will come to Connecticut for the second consecutive season, followed by Mississippi Valley State, an HBCU program. Hurley has made it a habit to schedule one of these schools each year.

These contests will help the Huskies get ready for the 2K Sports Empire Classic on Nov. 19 and 20 at Madison Square Garden in New York. UConn will start it off against Indiana and play whichever school matches its result in a game betwen Louisville and Texas the following day.

The Huskies return home for a pair of expected wins against Manhattan (Nov. 24) and New Hampshire (Nov. 27), before one of the biggest games on the nation’s non-conference calendar, as Kansas will host the team as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle on Dec. 1.

This is when the season truly begins for UConn, as it returns to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 5 for the Jimmy V Classic against North Carolina, followed by a final non-conference home game against Arkansas- Pine Bluff on Dec. 9 and a neutral site battle against Gonzaga Dec. 15.

The Big East slate begins five days later, with a trip to Seton Hall, while the first home game comes against St. John’s on Dec. 23. After the New Year, DePaul will come to Connecticut on Jan. 2 before the Huskies get back out on the road against Butler (Jan. 5) and Xavier (Jan. 10). UConn closes out January with four games at home, starting against Georgetown (Jan. 14) and Creighton (Jan. 17), as well as Xavier (Jan. 28) and Providence (Jan. 31), which sandwich a trip to Villanova (Jan. 20).

St. John’s will host the Huskies at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 3 before Butler comes to town on Feb. 6. UConn will get out on the road against Georgetown (Feb. 10) and DePaul (Feb. 14), before a tough stretch to end the season.

Marquette will arrive in Connecticut on Feb. 17, followed by a road trip to Creighton three days later. Villanova comes in on Feb. 24 and Seton Hall will follow on March 3 for Senior Day, then the team closes out the regular season with road trips to Marquette (March 6) and Providence (March 9).

The Big East Tournament will be March 13-16 at Madison Square Garden.