Reigning champ UConn featured on MSG college basketball schedule that includes 10 ranked teams
By Mike Fitzpatrick - Ap Sports Writer4 min read
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FILE - Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley celebrates with the trophy after their win against San Diego State in the men's national championship college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston. Kansas is the preseason No. 1 in the AP men's college basketball poll, released Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Defending national champion UConn was sixth.
David J. Phillip - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - Duke center Kyle Filipowski (30) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game against Oral Roberts in the NCAA Tournament, March 16, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. The Duke Blue Devils are ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25.
Phelan M. Ebenhack - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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A Final Four banner hangs during a Paradise Madness ceremony for the FAU NCAA college basketball team, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Boca Raton, Fla.
Lynne Sladky - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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St. John's coach Rick Pitino speaks during the Big East NCAA college basketball media day, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Craig Ruttle - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - North Carolina forward Armando Bacot, right, drives against Virginia forward Ben Vander Plas, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Feb. 25, 2023, in Chapel Hill, N.C. The North Carolina Tar Heels are ranked No. 19 in the preseason AP Top 25.
Chris Seward - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Connecticut coach Dan Hurley speaks during the Big East NCAA college basketball media day, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Craig Ruttle - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Journalists, athletes, and coaching staffs participate in the Big East NCAA college basketball media day, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Craig Ruttle - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - UConn's Alex Karaban (11) celebrates during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game as Providence's Ed Croswell (5) and Bryce Hopkins (23) react in the quarterfinals of the Big East Conference Tournament Thursday, March 9, 2023, in New York. UConn won 73-66. While Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson are gone, the Huskies return a solid core built around 7-foot-2 sophomore Donovan Clingan and returning starters Alex Karaban and Tristen Newton.
Frank Franklin II - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FAU coach Dusty May, center, stands with players on the NCAA college basketball team as he addresses the crowd during a Paradise Madness ceremony, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Boca Raton, Fla.
Lynne Sladky - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - UConn's Tristen Newton (2) shoots as DePaul's Jalen Terry (3) and Eral Penn (11) defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Hartford, Conn. While Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson are gone, the Huskies return a solid core built around 7-foot-2 sophomore Donovan Clingan and returning starters Alex Karaban and Tristen Newton.
Jessica Hill - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - Duke head coach Jon Scheyer reacts during the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament, March 18, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. The Duke Blue Devils are ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25.
Phelan M. Ebenhack - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis shouts to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., March 9, 2023. The North Carolina Tar Heels are ranked No. 19 in the preseason AP Top 25.
Chuck Burton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - Connecticut center Donovan Clingan practices for their Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 31, 2023, in Houston. While Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson are gone, the Huskies return a solid core built around 7-foot-2 sophomore Donovan Clingan and returning starters Alex Karaban and Tristen Newton.
David J. Phillip - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FAUY players watch as the Final Four banner is raised during a Paradise Madness ceremony for the NCAA college basketball team Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Boca Raton, Fla.
Lynne Sladky - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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FILE - North Carolina forward Armando Bacot reacts after he dunked against Duke during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Bacot was named to the preseason AP All-America men’s NCAA college basketball team, revealed Monday, Oct. 23, 2023.
Chris Seward - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Defending national champion UConn will play at least five games at Madison Square Garden this season, highlighting the 2023-24 college basketball schedule at “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”
Duke, North Carolina, Texas, Baylor, Illinois and Indiana are among the other high-profile programs making stops in Midtown Manhattan. In all, 10 teams ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason men’s basketball poll are on the docket at MSG.
No. 10 Florida Atlantic returns to The Garden, where coach Dusty May and the surprising Owls beat Tennessee and Kansas State in March to win the East Regional and advance to the Final Four.
It all starts Nov. 13 with Pitino and the Red Storm hosting Michigan in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. That will mark the first home game at Madison Square Garden for the 71-year-old Pitino, a New York City native, since he was head coach of the New York Knicks from 1987-89.
Six days later, No. 6 Connecticut faces Indiana in the Saavta Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project. The second game of the doubleheader features No. 18 Texas taking on Louisville, with the championship and third-place game slated for the following day.
Two weeks after that, coach Dan Hurley brings 7-foot-2 sophomore Donovan Clingan and the Huskies back to MSG for a Dec. 5 matchup with No. 19 North Carolina in the annual Jimmy V Classic for cancer research — celebrating 20 years at The Garden this season. Florida Atlantic plays No. 25 Illinois in the first game of the doubleheader.
UConn also visits St. John’s at The Garden on Feb. 3 and returns for the Big East Tournament from March 13-16.
St. John’s hosts Big East foes Providence (Jan. 10), No. 5 Marquette (Jan. 20), No. 22 Villanova (Jan. 24), No. 8 Creighton (Feb. 25) and longtime rival Georgetown (March 9) at MSG as well.
Second-ranked Duke faces No. 20 Baylor on Dec. 20 in a Garden Classic game matching two of the past eight national champions. Duke will play at MSG for the 23rd time in 26 years, while Baylor makes its seventh appearance overall.
In addition, the Holiday Festival returns to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 2018 with a tripleheader on Dec. 16. Georgia Tech takes on Penn State before St. John’s faces Fordham and then a women’s game between St. John’s and Villanova. It will be the first time women’s teams participate in the Holiday Festival, held annually from 1952-2018.
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