NEW YORK (AP) — Reigning national champion Florida is one of 12 teams in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll scheduled to play at Madison Square Garden this season.
UConn and Duke will make multiple appearances inside “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” which is set to host seven programs ranked in the top 10 and nine that have won an NCAA title.
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No. 5 St. John’s, the defending Big East champion, will play 12 regular-season home games at MSG in its third year under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino — the school’s most since 1951-52. The other five are ticketed for Carnesecca Arena on campus in Queens.
After the Red Storm welcome No. 7 Michigan to Midtown Manhattan for an exhibition tuneup Saturday, it all starts for keeps Nov. 8 when Labaron Philon Jr. and No. 15 Alabama visit St. John’s in the second game of the season for both teams.
“It’s an early test for us to see if we’re made for The Garden in November,” Pitino said.
Ten days later, No. 6 Duke takes on No. 19 Kansas, and No. 9 Kentucky squares off against No. 22 Michigan State in the Champions Classic doubleheader.
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No. 17 Illinois plays at MSG for the fourth straight season when it faces No. 4 UConn on Black Friday (Nov. 28) in a rematch of the 2024 East Regional final.
UConn returns Dec. 9 to play Alex Condon and No. 3 Florida in the second game of the Jimmy V Classic doubleheader. Eighth-ranked BYU opposes Clemson in the opener.
Duke comes back to the Big Apple for a Dec. 20 game against No. 10 Texas Tech. The same teams also met at The Garden in 2018.
St. John’s plays nine of its 10 Big East home games at MSG, including matchups with UConn on Feb. 6 and No. 23 Creighton on Feb. 21.
Pitino will again oppose his son, Richard, the first-year coach at Xavier, when the Musketeers come calling on Feb. 9. The two also squared off at Madison Square Garden last November, when the Red Storm beat New Mexico.
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And of course, UConn, St. John’s, Creighton and Xavier will all be back, among others, for the Big East Tournament from March 11-14.
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