The BIG EAST Conference announced the 2021-22 men’s basketball schedule Thursday morning in a press release.
Marquette will open conference play at Xavier Dec. 18. Last season, the Musketeers finished 13-8, 6-7 BIG EAST and were the No. 7 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament.
The Golden Eagles’ first home game is against UConn Dec. 21. The Huskies swept the season series in their first year back in the conference last season. In the most recent matchup, UConn defeated Marquette 80-62. Former Marquette forward Dawson Garcia led the team with 18 points and eight rebounds. Redshirt first-year forward Justin Lewis had 14 points, two rebounds and a steal in 21 minutes off the bench.
Then two days before New Year’s Eve, Marquette will travel east for the first time this season to face St. John’s. The Redstorm and the Golden Eagles have split the season series the last two years.
Three days later, the Creighton will travel to Milwaukee for a New Year’s Day matchup. The Bluejays finished the season with a 22-9 overall record and were the No. 2 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament. In Creighton’s last game against Marquette Feb. 6, the Blue Jays edged out a 71-68 win as Koby McEwen missed a contested 3-pointer to tie the game at the buzzer.
The Golden Eagles longest stretch of the season on the road will come Jan. 19 to Jan. 29 when they visit Villanova, Seton Hall and Providence with a home game against Xavier mixed in during the ten-day span.
After traveling to Providence Jan. 29, Marquette returns to Fiserv Forum to host Villanova Feb. 2. The Wildcats are coming off an 18-7, 11-4 BIG EAST season in which they won the conference regular-season championship last season for the seventh time in the last eight years. Villanova advanced to the Sweet 16 last season before losing 62-51 to Baylor.
Marquette will play three of their last five games at home, as they travel to Creighton and DePaul, with home games against Georgetown and Butler in the middle of that stretch. The Golden Eagles will conclude the season with a game at home against St. John’s Mar. 5.
The team has yet to announce when National Marquette Day will be.
Game times and television information will be announced next week.
Season tickets are currently on sale for all 17 home games and mini-plans will go on sale in early October followed by single-game ticket purchases beginning in mid-October, Marquette Athletics announced in a press release.
Marquette will open up the season in 47 days against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Nov. 9 at Fiserv Forum.
This article was written by John Leuzzi. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JohnLeuzziMU.
