College Basketball Schedule Release
College basketball schedules for the 2026-27 season take shape across major conferences.
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Key Points
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UConn enters the Big East schedule with a strong recent conference record: since returning to the league in 2020-21, the Huskies are 86-30 in regular-season play, have finished in the top four every season and reached the conference tournament semifinals each year.
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New Mexico State begins the season with two non-Division I opponents—Western New Mexico on Nov. 3 and the University of the Southwest on Dec. 1—before facing Gonzaga, UTEP and San Diego State; the San Diego State game is officially neutral-site but will be played about 30 minutes from the Aztecs’ campus.
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St. John’s will play five of its first seven Big East games on the road, then close with five of its final seven at Madison Square Garden, creating a difficult midseason stretch that includes UConn at the Garden.
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Michigan’s title-defense outlook is complicated by major turnover: the Wolverines lost four starters from their national championship team, while former coach Dusty May left for the NBA on the eve of the 2026 NBA Draft.
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Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr., who led the nation with 9.4 assists per game, is returning and is projected as a preseason Big Ten Player of the Year candidate; Illinois also returns five of its top eight scorers from a 28-win Final Four team.
College basketball schedules for 2026-27 are taking shape across major conferences, with the Big East launching a 20-game round robin that runs from December through early March. CBSSports reports that the Big Ten has also released its full slate, featuring matchups expected to challenge defending champion Michigan and crown new contenders like Illinois and Michigan State.
UConn Aims to Stay Elite in Big East Reunion
UConn opens its Big East schedule on December 23 against Georgetown, then visits Butler on New Year's Eve. The Huskies have dominated since returning to the conference in 2020-21, posting an 86-30 regular-season record and finishing in the top four every year. They will face critical rematches with Creighton, St. John's and Marquette while navigating a tough nonconference slate.
The schedule tests UConn early and often. A January 29 matchup at Madison Square Garden against St. John's—playing all 10 league home games there—marks a key conference showdown before the teams meet again on March 2.
St. John's Seeks Third Straight Title Under Pitino
St. John's is chasing a third consecutive regular-season and tournament championship under coach Rick Pitino. The team plays five of its first seven Big East games on the road, creating a grueling early stretch before closing with five of its final seven at the Garden.
This setup means St. John's must win road games early to stay in contention. The January 29 home matchup with UConn at Madison Square Garden comes during the toughest part of the schedule, with another UConn visit on March 2 following the stretch.
Iowa Faces Tough Big Ten Road Tests
KCCI reports that Iowa opens Big Ten play on the road at Purdue on December 1, a notoriously difficult venue. The Hawkeyes have a balanced 10-home, 10-road conference schedule that includes late-season trips to Michigan and Illinois, two projected Big Ten contenders.
Iowa will also play home-and-away series against Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The schedule forces the team to compete in tough road environments late in the season when conference standings matter most.
Michigan State and Illinois Challenge Defense Title
Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr., who led the nation with 9.4 assists per game, returns and is a preseason Big Ten Player of the Year candidate. CBSSports projects Michigan State, Illinois and USC among the teams expected to challenge defending champion Michigan for conference honors.
Illinois returns five of its top eight scorers from a 28-win Final Four team. Michigan, meanwhile, lost four starters from last year's national championship squad and saw coach Dusty May depart for the NBA just before the 2026 Draft, complicating the title defense outlook.
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