UConn men’s basketball forward Daniel Hamilton is guarded by a University of Texas player in the Huskies’ home game against the Longhorns on Nov. 30, 2014. (Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus)
The UConn men’s basketball team released its 2015-16 non-conference schedule Tuesday afternoon.
After two exhibition games against Division II University of Tampa and University of New Haven, the Huskies will open the regular season at home against Maine Friday, Nov. 13.
Following home games against New Hampshire and Furman, UConn heads to the Bahamas Nov. 25 for the Battle 4 Atlantis. Although the bracket has yet to be announced, the Huskies are a part of a competitive field that includes Syracuse, Michigan, Gonzaga, Texas, Texas A&M, Washington, and Charlotte.
On Dec. 2, UConn welcomes the first of their two in-state opponents when they take on Sacred Heart. Secondly, the Huskies will take on Central Connecticut at home Dec. 23. Last season, UConn defeated the Blue Devils 81-48.
Sandwiched between Sacred Heart and CCSU are two marquee matchups against Maryland (Dec. 8) and Ohio State (Dec. 12), as well as the Huskies’ first-ever meeting against UMass-Lowell on Dec. 20.
UConn’s game against Maryland will be a part of the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Huskies did not play a game at the Garden last season for the first time in over 30 years.
The matchup versus Ohio State marks the first time the two schools will meet since the 1999 Final Four, where UConn defeated the Buckeyes 64-58 in the National Semifinals en route to their first NCAA Championship.
The Huskies travel to Texas Dec. 29 for their lone true road non-conference game against the Longhorns to wrap up the home-and-home series between the two schools. Last season, Texas defeated the Huskies 55-54 at Gampel Pavilion on a buzzer beating three-pointer from Jonathan Holmes.
UConn will wrap up their non-conference slate with a home game against former Big East foe Georgetown in their first matchup since the 2012-13 season.
The Huskies’ schedule will be completed when the American Athletic Conference announces the conference schedule later on this summer.
Dan Madigan is associate sports editor for The Daily Campus. Follow him on Twitter @dmad1433.
