SEATTLE – The University of Washington men’s basketball non-conference slate features eight home contests, including an exhibition, four neutral site matchups and two true road games, head coach Mike Hopkins announced Wednesday. Out of the 13 total non-conference contests, excluding the exhibition, the Dawgs will face four teams that made the 2018 NCAA Tournament and nine teams that won 20 or more games a year ago. All times and TV designations will be announced at a later date.
UW’s exhibition game this season will be against Seattle Pacific University on Thursday, Nov. 1. The regular season officially starts inside Alaska Airlines Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 6 as the Huskies welcome Western Kentucky, who made it to the semifinals of the NIT a year ago and posted a 27-11 record.
In their first true road game of the season, UW travels to Alabama to face the Auburn Tigers, led by Bruce Pearl, on Friday, Nov. 9. The Tigers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2018 after recording 26 wins. Washington returns home for a matchup against San Diego at Hec Ed on Monday, Nov. 12.
Taking place at the Vancouver Convention Center in British Columbia, UW will play three games in the Vancouver Showcase first taking on Santa Clara on Sunday, Nov. 18. They will then face Texas A&M on Tuesday, Nov. 20 and Minnesota on Wednesday, Nov. 21. A&M made the 2018 NCAA Sweet 16 before falling to eventual National Championship runner-up Michigan.
The next two matchups will be back in Seattle at Alaska Airlines Arena first with Eastern Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 27. The Huskies then welcome Santa Barbara, who went 23-9 in 2018, on Sunday, Dec. 2, before hitting the road again.
Washington will cross the Cascade mountains to Spokane and face Gonzaga on Wednesday, Dec. 5. The Zags made the NCAA Sweet 16 a year ago and recorded 32 wins. A quick trip back to Hec Ed has UW staying with the in-state theme, as it faces Seattle U on Sunday, Dec. 9.
Up next is the first ever Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Boardwalk Classic in Atlantic City on Saturday, Dec. 15 which pits UW against Virginia Tech at the historic Boardwalk Hall in New Jersey. The two teams faced off a year ago in New York City at the 2K Wounded Warriors Classic with the Hokies taking the victory and eventually advancing to the NCAA Tournament with 21 wins.
Washington concludes non-conference play in the friendly confines of Alaska Airlines Arena facing Sacramento State on Friday, Dec. 21 and Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday, Jan. 1. Pac-12 play begins the week of Jan. 2-6 as UW hosts in-state rival Washington State.
