Michigan State, Northwestern, URI highlight Brown men's basketball nonconference schedule

Brown guard Paxson Wojcik drives against Maryland guard Fatts Russell, a former URI star, during the game on Dec. 30 in College Park. Wojcik will face the team that employs his father, Doug Wojcik, as an assistant coach when Brown travels to Northwestern on Dec. 29.
Brown guard Paxson Wojcik drives against Maryland guard Fatts Russell, a former URI star, during the game on Dec. 30 in College Park. Wojcik will face the team that employs his father, Doug Wojcik, as an assistant coach when Brown travels to Northwestern on Dec. 29.

Two games against in-state rivals, two road trips against Big Ten foes and a run of home games to open Ivy League play highlight the 2022-23 men’s basketball schedule at Brown.

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The Bears will be on the bus to Bryant and the University of Rhode Island, will test themselves against Michigan State and Northwestern and will play five of their first six league games at the Pizzitola Center. They begin with a Nov. 2 exhibition against New Haven before traveling to Vermont for the season opener on Nov. 7.

“We think this will be a very challenging nonconference slate that should prepare us very well for Ivy League play,” Brown coach Mike Martin said in a statement. “It has a great blend of quality regional opponents to go with outstanding national programs.”

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Nonconference games

Brown plays five of its nonconference games at home, beginning with Colgate on Nov. 10. The Bears host three straight against Stony Brook, UMass Lowell and Maine before hitting the road for five of their next six. New Hampshire’s visit on Dec. 21 will be the final home game for Brown before Penn comes to the East side on Jan. 2.

December offers the Bears some stiff challenges. Brown visits the Bulldogs on Dec. 2 looking to avenge a rugged 65-59 defeat last season. The Bears also take on the Rams for the first time since surprising them early in the 2019-20 season — that game will take place at the Ryan Center on Dec. 7.

Brown faced four Power 5 opponents as part of its 13-16 overall mark last season — the Spartans and Wildcats represent that elite group on the schedule this year. The Bears visit Michigan State on Dec. 10 and travel to Northwestern on Dec. 29. Brown dropped a road game at Northwestern in 2017-18 and will encounter a familiar face on the Spartans sideline — assistant coach Doug Wojcik is the father of Bears guard Paxson Wojcik.

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Ivy League play

Brown went just 5-9 in league play last season and will enjoy a string of early home chances to make a quick improvement this year. The Quakers, Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton and Columbia all visit before the end of January. Defending conference tournament champion Yale battles the Bears in the March 4 season finale on Senior Day.

Each of Brown’s 14 conference games will be streamed online on ESPN+. Further broadcast information and game times will be released at a date to be determined. Visit brownbears.com for more information.

bkoch@providencejournal.com    

On Twitter: @BillKoch25 

Brown University men's basketball schedule

Nov. 2 — New Haven (exhibition), 7 p.m., ESPN+

Nov. 7 — at Vermont

Nov. 10 — Colgate, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Nov. 13 — at Loyola (Md)

Nov. 17 — Stony Brook, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Nov. 23 — UMass Lowell, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Nov. 27 — Maine, 2 p.m., ESPN+

Nov. 29 — at Central Connecticut

Dec. 2 — at Bryant

Dec. 4 — at Hartford

Dec. 7 — at Rhode Island

Dec. 10 — at Michigan State

Dec. 21 — New Hampshire, 7 p.m. ESPN+

Dec. 29 — at Northwestern

Jan. 2 — Penn, 7 p.m. ESPN+

Jan. 6 — Harvard, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Jan. 7 — Dartmouth, 6 p.m. ESPN+

Jan. 14 — Princeton, 2 p.m., ESPN+

Jan. 16 — at Yale, ESPN+

Jan. 21 — Columbia, 2 p.m., ESPN+

Jan. 28 — at Cornell, ESPN+

Feb. 3 — at Dartmouth, ESPN+

Feb. 4 — at Harvard, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Feb. 11 — Cornell, 2 p.m., ESPN+

Feb. 17 — at Princeton, ESPN+

Feb. 18 — at Penn, ESPN+

Feb. 25 — at Columbia, ESPN+

March 4 — Yale, 2 p.m., ESPN+

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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Michigan State, Northwestern on Brown's nonconference hoops schedule