Arizona men’s basketball releases nonconference schedule, first 2 Pac-12 matchups

The first half of Arizona’s 2021-22 men’s basketball schedule is official.

The Wildcats released their nonconference slate on Wednesday, as well as the dates of their first two Pac-12 games and their preseason matchups. That includes the return of the Red-Blue Game, set for Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. at McKale Center.

Unless conditions change, that will mark the first time Arizona has been allowed to play in front of fans at McKale Center since March 2020.

The UA’s first regular season game under coach Tommy Lloyd is Nov. 9 against NAU, the first of three straight at McKale before going to Las Vegas for the Roman Main Event Nov. 19-21. Arizona will play two teams from the trio of Michigan, UNLV and Wichita State at T-Mobile Arena, site of the Pac-12 Tournament.

Arizona’s Pac-12 opener is Dec. 2 at home against Washington, with its first true road game three days later at Oregon State. The Wildcats also play at Illinois (Dec. 11) and Tennessee (Dec. 22), the former a game pushed back from the 2020-21 season and the latter replacing Gonzaga on the schedule.

Here’s how it looks all at once:

• Oct. 2 Red-Blue scrimmage
• Nov. 1 vs. Eastern New Mexico (exhibition)
• Nov. 9 vs. NAU
• Nov. 12 vs. Texas-Rio Grande Valley
• Nov. 16 vs. North Dakota State
• Nov. 19 vs. Michigan, UNLV or Wichita State (Roman Main Event, Las Vegas)
• Nov. 21 vs. TBD (Roman Main Event)
• Nov. 27 vs. Sacramento State
• Dec. 2 vs. Washington*
• Dec. 5 at Oregon State*
• Dec. 8 vs. Wyoming
• Dec. 11 at Illinois
• Dec. 15 vs. Northern Colorado
• Dec. 18 vs. Cal Baptist
• Dec. 22 at Tennessee

* - Pac-12 conference game

The Pac-12 will release the remainder of the 20-game conference schedule at a later date.