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Your reigning National Champion Villanova Wildcats have released their 2016-17 schedule, so mark up those calendars.
Eighteen BIG EAST games, the Big Five, and out-of-conference matchups with the Virginia Cavaliers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish highlight the schedule. Additionally ‘Nova will be traveling to South Carolina to participate in the Charleston Classic and to Indiana to take on Purdue in the Gavitt Games in November.
In 2016, the Wildcats set a program record with 35 victories, a third consecutive BIG EAST Regular Season Championship, and the school’s second National Championship.
Villanova open up the defense of that championship on Friday November 11th against Lafayette on Fox Sports 2.
The Wildcats will also participate in the Gavitt Games this season matching up against the Purdue Boilermakers from the Big Ten in a very-early season matchup against a probable Top 25 squad.
Western Michigan will be the ‘Cats first opponent in the Charleston Classic. Boise State, Central Florida, College of Charleston, Mississippi State, UTEP, and Wake Forest round out the field.
Villanova will also play non-conference home games at The Pavilion against Lafayette, American, and the College of Charleston.
Big Five play will start on November 29th at the Palestra against Penn and will be wrapped up in two weeks as ‘Nova will host St. Joseph’s (PA) on December 3rd, travel back to the Palestra to face LaSalle on the 6th and wrap up the City Series against Temple on December 13th.
Jay Wright’s squad, who has claimed the BIG EAST Regular Season Championship three consecutive season will look for the four-peat when they open up conference play against DePaul on December 28th. The BIG EAST has done away with the NYE marathon for this season, instead hosting their marathon on Martin Luther King Day. Villanova hosts Seton Hall as part of that lineup.
Villanova will play 5 games at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly including the exhibition game against IUP and non-conference matchup with Virginia. The big news? A top-heavy Pavilion schedule that will feature Xavier, Seton Hall, and Georgetown.
2016-17 Villanova Wildcats Men's Basketball Schedule
DATE | TIME (ET) | OPPONENT | LOCATION | TV |
---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, November 5, 2016 | 12:00 PM | IUP (Exhibition) | Philadelphia, PA | n/a |
Friday, November 11, 2016 | 6:30 PM | Lafayette Leopards | Villanova, PA | FS2 |
Monday, November 14, 2016 | 7:00 PM | Purdue Boilermakers | West Lafayette, IN | Big Ten |
Thursday, November 17, 2016 | 11:30 AM | Western Michigan Broncos | Charleston, SC | ESPN2 |
Friday, November 18, 2016 | 1:30/3:30pm | Wake Forest Demon Deacons OR Texas-El Paso Miners | Charleston, SC | ESPN2/ESPN3 |
Sunday, November 20, 2016 | TBD | TBD | Charleston, SC | ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN3 |
Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | 7:00 PM | College of Charleston Cougars | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Tuesday, November 29, 2016 | TBD | Penn Quakers | Philadelphia, PA | TBD |
Saturday, December 3, 2016 | 1:00 PM | Saint Josephs Hawks | Villanova, PA | CBS Sports Network |
Tuesday, December 6, 2016 | 7:00 PM | La Salle Explorers | Philadelphia, PA | ESPN2 |
Saturday, December 10, 2016 | 12:00 PM | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Newark, NJ | CBS |
Tuesday, December 13, 2016 | 7:00 PM | Temple Owls | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Wednesday, December 21, 2016 | 6:30 PM | American University Eagles | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Wednesday, December 28, 2016 | 6:30 PM | DePaul Blue Demons | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Saturday, December 31, 2016 | 1:00 PM | Creighton Bluejays | Omaha, NE | FS1 |
Wednesday, January 4, 2017 | 6:30 PM | Butler Bulldogs | Indianapolis, IN | FS1 |
Saturday, January 7, 2017 | 7:30 PM | Marquette Golden Eagles | Philadelphia, PA | FS1 |
Tuesday, January 10, 2017 | 7:00 PM | Xavier Musketeers | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Thursday, January 14, 2016 | 12:00 PM | St. John's Red Storm | New York, NY | FS1 |
Monday, January 16, 2017 | 6:30 PM | Seton Hall Pirates | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Saturday, January 21, 2017 | 12:00 PM | Providence Friars | Philadelphia, PA | FOX |
Tuesday, January 24, 2017 | 8:00 PM | Marquette Golden Eagles | Milwaukee, WI | FS1 |
Sunday, January 29, 2017 | 1:00 PM | Virginia Cavaliers | Philadelphia, PA | FOX |
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 | 7:00 PM | Providence Friars | Providence, RI | FS1 |
Saturday, February 4, 2017 | 8:00 PM | St. John's Red Storm | Philadelphia, PA | CBS Sports Network |
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 | 7:00 PM | Georgetown Hoyas | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Saturday, February 11, 2017 | 2:30 PM | Xavier Musketeers | Cincinnati, OH | FOX |
Monday, February 13, 2017 | 9:00 PM | DePaul Blue Demons | Rosemont, IL | CBS Sports Network |
Saturday, February 18, 2017 | 12:30 PM | Seton Hall Pirates | Newark, NJ | FOX |
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 | 9:00 PM | Butler Bulldogs | Villanova, PA | FS1 |
Saturday, February 25, 2017 | 3:00 PM | Creighton Bluejays | Villanova, PA | FOX |
Saturday, March 4, 2017 | 12:00 PM | Georgetown Hoyas | Washington, DC | TBD |
Editor's Note: Villanova's exhibition will be against the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), not Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) as previously reported from the Villanova Media release.