City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The defending NCAA champion Villanova Wildcats released their schedule on Tuesday, along with the release of the Big East conference slate.

Head coach Jay Wright, now in his 16th season on the Villanova sideline, will first coach his 2016-17 squad during an exhibition game against D-II Indiana (Pa.) on Nov. 5 at the Wells Fargo Center, before the season officially begins on Friday, Nov. 11 at the cozy Pavilion against Lafayette.

From there, the Wildcats will trip up to Purdue to face the Boilermakers in the Gavitt Tip-Off Games, the first of several marquee non-conference events ‘Nova will take part in.

Next up is the Gildan Charleston Classic (Nov. 17-20), which features a first-round match-up against Western Michigan; UTEP and Wake Forest await the winner/loser while Boise State, Mississippi State, Central Florida and host College of Charleston round out the field.

Also worth looking forward to in the non-con are the Big 5 matchups: against Penn (Nov. 29), Saint Joseph’s (Dec. 3), at La Salle (Dec. 6) and at home against Temple (Dec. 13). Villanova has won the last three Big 5 championships outright, and hasn’t lost a city matchup since Temple won 76-61 on Dec. 5, 2012.

Following the Temple game is one more home non-conference matchup, against American (Dec. 21) before Big East play starts Dec. 28 at home against DePaul.

One more non-conference matchup looms in January, with ACC powerhouse Virginia visiting the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 29 for a 1 PM nationally-televised game on Fox.

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Villanova Wildcats 2016-17 Schedule
&Sat., Nov. 5 vs. Indiana (Pa.) (Noon) -- Wells Fargo
Fri., Nov. 11 vs. Lafayette (6:30 PM/FS2)
Mon., Nov. 14 @ Purdue (7:00 PM/Big Ten Network)
@Thurs., Nov. 17 vs. Western Michigan (11:30 AM, ESPN2)
@Fri., Nov. 18 vs. Wake Forest/UTEP (TBD)
@Sun., Nov. 20 vs. TBD (TBD)
Weds., Nov. 23 vs. College of Charleston (7 PM, FS1)
#Tues., Nov. 29 @ Penn (TBD)

#Sat., Dec. 3 vs. Saint Joseph’s (1 PM, CBSSN)
#Tues., Dec. 6 @ La Salle (7 PM, ESPN2)
Sat., Dec. 10 vs. Notre Dame (Noon, CBS)
Tues., Dec. 13 vs. Temple (7 PM, FS1)
Weds., Dec. 21 vs. American (6:30 PM, FS1)
*Weds., Dec. 28 vs. DePaul (6:30 PM, FS1)
*Sat., Dec. 31 @ Creighton (1 PM, FS1)

*Wed., Jan. 4 @ Butler (6:30 PM, FS1)
*Sat., Jan. 7 vs. Marquette (7:30 PM, FS1) -- Wells Fargo
*Tues., Jan. 10 vs. Xavier (7:00 PM, FS1)
*Sat., Jan. 14 @ St. John’s (Noon, FS1)
*Mon., Jan. 16 vs. Seton Hall (6:30 PM, FS1)
*Sat., Jan. 21 vs. Providence (Noon, Fox) -- Wells Fargo
*Tues., Jan. 24 @ Marquette (8 PM, FS1)
*Sun., Jan. 29 vs. Virginia (1 PM, Fox) -- Wells Fargo

*Wed., Feb. 1 @ Providence (7 PM, FS1)
*Sat., Feb. 4 vs. St. John’s (8 PM, CBSSN) -- Wells Fargo
*Tues., Feb. 7 vs. Georgetown (7 PM, FS1)
*Sat., Feb. 11 @ Xavier (2:30 PM, Fox)
*Mon., Feb. 13 @ DePaul (9 PM, CBSSN)
*Sat., Feb. 18 @ Seton Hall (12:30 PM, Fox)
*Wed., Feb. 22 vs. Butler (9 PM, FS1)
*Sat., Feb. 25 vs. Creighton (3 PM, Fox)

Sat., March 4 @ Georgetown (Noon, TBD)

Big East Tournament: March 8-11, Madison Square Garden, NYC

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& = Exhibition
@ = Gildan Charleston Classic
# = Big 5 contest
* = Big East contest