The University of Arizona men’s basketball team released its 2023-24 nonconference opponents and dates, according to a news release issued Monday. It will include a pair of exhibition games at McKale Center during October ahead of the season opener on Nov. 6 against Morgan State.
The Wildcats will play six regular-season home games as part of the nonconference schedule, highlighted by the Dec. 9 meeting with Wisconsin. Other home opponents include the opener against Morgan State, Southern University, Belmont, UT Arlington and Colgate.
When the games away from the McKale Center are factored in, Arizona is likely to have one of the most challenging schedules in the entire country. Arizona will play five teams in ESPN’s “Way Too Early” Preseason Top 25. Arizona will play No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Purdue, No. 4 Michigan State, No. 9 Florida Atlantic and No. 22 Alabama in the nonconference. Arizona checks in at No. 11 in the rankings.
Below is a quick look at Arizona’s history with each of the schools on its nonconference schedule:
Morgan State (Nov. 6): Arizona leads the all-time series, 2-0; the two teams played against each other last year in Tucson, with Arizona winning that game, 93-68. at Duke (Nov. 10): Arizona leads the all-time series, 5-4; the last meeting was Nov. 29, 2013, in New York City and Arizona came out on top, 72-66. Southern (Nov. 13): Arizona leads the all-time series, 2-0; the teams met last year in Tucson and Arizona claimed a 95-78 win as part of the Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series. Belmont (Nov. 17): Arizona leads the all-time series, 1-0; the lone meeting came on March 21, 2013 in Salt Lake City as part of the NCAA Tournament, with Arizona winning, 81-64. UT Arlington (Nov. 19): This will be the first meeting between the two schools; this game is part of the Acrisure Invitational and will be played in Tucson. Michigan State in Palm Desert, Calif. (Nov. 23): Arizona leads the all-time series, 5-2; the last meeting was on Nov. 11, 2016, when Arizona defeated MSU in Honolulu, 65-63. Colgate (Dec. 2): This will be the first meeting between the two schools. Wisconsin (Dec. 9): The Badgers lead the all-time series, 5-2; the most recent meeting was on March 28, 2015 in Los Angeles as part of the NCAA Tournament and UW pulled out the 85-78 win. Purdue in Indianapolis (Dec. 16): Purdue leads the all-time series, 7-5; the last meeting came on Nov. 24, 2017, in the Bahamas and Purdue won that game, 89-64. Alabama in Phoenix (Dec. 20): Crimson Tide lead the all-time series, 3-1; the last meeting was Dec. 9, 2018 in Tuscaloosa (76-73 Alabama win) Florida Atlantic in Las Vegas (Dec. 23): Arizona leads the all-time series with FAU, 1-0; the only meeting came on Nov. 17, 2008, in Tucson and UA tallied a 75-62 win.