UConn men’s basketball team announces Big East schedule starting with home matchup against Providence in December
UConn’s second season in the new Big East figures to bring back the fans to Storrs and Hartford that were missing during the 2020-21 season due to the the COVID-19 pandemic.
The men’s basketball team will open its 20-game conference schedule for 2021-22 on Dec. 18 against Providence, a rivalry that dates back to 1927. The teams split last season, each winning at home in nearly empty arenas.
Last season, few, if any, spectators were allowed at games due to COVID-19 protocols, quelling what was expected to be a raucous return of many of the Huskies’ original Big East rivals to Gampel Pavilion or the XL Center.
UConn will play each of the 10 Big East opponents home and away this year.
Following the Providence game, UConn will play at Marquette on Dec. 21 and at Xavier on Dec. 28.
The Huskies play Butler at home on Jan. 1, at Seton Hall Jan. 8, at home vs. St. John’s on Jan. 12, a rematch at Providence on Jan. 15, at Butler Jan. 20, home vs. Georgetown Jan. 25 and at DePaul on Jan. 29.
UConn, who finished third in the conference at 11-6 during the truncated 2020-21 season, will face Creighton at home Feb. 1. The Bluejays beat UConn three times last season. The Huskies face conference regular-season champion Villanova on the road on Feb. 5 and at home Feb. 22.
UConn plays Marquette at home on Feb. 8, at St. John’s Feb. 13, Seton Hall on Feb. 16, Xavier Feb. 19 and at Georgetown on Feb. 27.
UConn travels to Creighton March 2 and finishes the season at home March 5 vs. DePaul.
UConn announced its 11-game nonconference slate of games on Sept. 1. The Huskies open the season with Central Connecticut on Nov. 9, followed by Coppin State (Nov. 13), LIU-Brooklyn (Nov. 17) and Binghamton (Nov. 20).
They will be in the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis Thanksgiving week, playing Auburn on Nov. 24 and either Michigan or Loyola-Chicago the next day.
Home games against Maryland-Eastern Shore (Dec. 1) and Grambling (Dec. 4) follow, then UConn plays at West Virginia Dec. 8 in the Big East-Big 12 Challenge, and St. Bonaventure in the Never Forget Classic in Newark, New Jersey on Dec. 11.
Dom Amore can be reached at damore@courant.com
