We knew that the Huskies were going to play a brutal non-conference schedule, but we got the finishing touches on it on Thursday.
On Wednesday, we got an official date for the UConn men's basketball team to play against the Virginia Cavaliers, marking just the latest definitive reminder of how brutal the Huskies' non-conference schedule is going to be in 2026-27.
Well, on Thursday, we learned the rest of the non-conference schedule. And while the totality of the non-league schedule is as brutal as we've known it would be, the final revelations were much easier.
So, we already knew that UConn was going to play Michigan in a national championship rematch, as well as Final Four participants Illinois and Arizona. We also knew they'd face Duke in an Elite Eight rematch, Ohio State, Virginia and Kansas.
We already had intel that UConn would see Gardner-Webb and Rider in the non-league portion of the schedule, but the three newest opponents that round things out are: Wagner, Mississippi Valley State and Delaware State.
The official dates of those games are: Wagner (Nov. 9), Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 8) and Delaware State (Dec. 15).
What to know about these opponents
Well, all three should be "easy" victories for Dan Hurley's team, and all three should provide him with chances to rest veteran players and get younger players some experience. Of course, that isn't guaranteed to be the case, but it is the expectation.
Wagner finished last season at 14-17 overall and 8-10 within Northeast Conference play. They lost in the semifinals of their league tournament to Long Island University. They lost to VCU 103-74 but played close with Seton Hall (68-61). They lost to Georgetown 92-75, so they have experience competing against Big East schools. They also lost to Maryland 89-63.
Mississippi Valley State, nicknamed the Delta Devils, went just 3-30 last season and 2-16 inside SWAC play. They played Texas A&M of the SEC, losing 120-84, and also lost 108-49 against Kansas State. They were beaten 96-49 by Florida State, 86-51 by West Virginia and 93-69 by Oklahoma.
Delaware State, which has a football program coached by former Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson, went 8-23 on the hardwood with a 2-12 league record. They were beaten 83-43 by Syracuse and 65-50 by Rutgers.
And what about the exhibition season?
The Huskies will play Syracuse at Mohegan Sun on Oct. 13, kicking off the exhibition season. They will also play at Michigan State on Oct. 20 and against Purdue on Oct. 27.
Hurley's team also played the Spartans a year ago in exhibition play.
