Last Thursday, the UConn men’s basketball team’s full schedule along with the rest of the Big East conference were released. This brought immediate excitement for Huskies fans, as many big games are happening for the defending back-to-back national champions. Whether it’s hosting ranked Baylor at home or St. John’s at the Garden, there is much to look forward to for Connecticut basketball. In this week’s sports roundtable, our group of writers will give their take on the one game they are most looking forward to on UConn’s schedule, in or out of conference.
Sam Calhoun: Dec. 8 at Texas
I grew up on UConn basketball, and nothing was more exciting than seeing the Huskies take on Texas in the early 2010s. In 2010, Connecticut hosted the top-ranked Longhorns at Gampel Pavilion and pulled off the upset that resulted in a court storm in the Basketball Capital of the World. The following season was in Austin, Texas at the Frank Erwin Center, where Kemba Walker continued to take the college basketball world by storm. Roscoe Smith’s heave with ten seconds remaining still makes my heart drop. Texas looks to be a solid team in its first season in the SEC, led by former Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma and five-star freshman Tre Johnson. It will also be a homecoming game for Liam McNeeley, who grew up about 200 miles north of the state’s capital. It may end up being the Huskies’ toughest test in their nonconference slate.
Matt Dimech: Dec. 4 vs Baylor
There was a ton of buzz this summer surrounding UConn potentially making a change from the Big East conference to the Big 12. But, after a statement issued by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark back in August, it was made clear that this change would not take place any time soon. When UConn takes on Baylor, it allows the defending national champions an opportunity to test their metal against one of the premier teams in the Big 12. Baylor won the national championship back in 2021 and has won a tournament game in each of the subsequent seasons. Baylor is receiving high praise and is expected to be one of the best teams in the nation this year. Baylor made several moves this offseason, including the acquisition of No. 3 ranked prospect V.J. Edgecombe, and Duke transfer Jeremy Roach. With Baylor pairing this talent with their returning stars Jayden Nunn and Langston Love, expect the Bears to give Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies a run for their money.
Ryan Lombardi: Nov. 25 vs Memphis
I may be biased here, but I’ve always loved watching these pre-season tournaments- especially the Maui Invitational. In the first round, UConn faces a former American conference opponent in Memphis, led by head coach Penny Hardaway. To describe this team in one word: confusing. They looked to be promising for most of last season, ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation, before a rough stretch in January marked their downfall, finishing fifth in the AAC. The Tigers brought in a highly ranked group of transfers, but their offseason has been mostly headlined by major shakeups in their coaching staff and various off the court issues. Overall, Memphis is somewhat of a mystery heading into this season, and their first real test will come against the back-to-back champs. With so much uncertainty in the air, both squads’ first chance to prove themselves this season will happen this November in paradise.
Tyler Pruneau: Feb. 11 At Creighton
When it comes to sports, it is always amazing to see two great teams play each other, especially those which do not play each other often. Yes, those games are always going to be entertaining and have more views, but for UConn fans, the in-conference games become more personal than the out of conference games. When it comes to Creighton, they are not a team to sleep on. In the last two years, they have made it to the Elite 8 and Sweet 16 in the NCAA March Madness Tournament, and when these two teams play, it is like a tournament game. The Huskies record against them is 2-2 in the last two years. Last season, during game one, UConn put up a deficit of 14 points winning the game, but in the second game Creighton came back and put up a 19-point deficit, resulting in a Connecticut loss. With the 2024-2025 season coming closer, UConn is looking for a season sweep, as they look to make the three-peat happen.
