University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Northern Arizona
Huskies Begin Title Defense On Monday Night at Gampel
11/3/2023 2:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
STORRS – The No. 6 UConn men's basketball team will begin its national title defense on Monday night when it plays host to Northern Arizona at Gampel Pavilion. The 2023-24 season opener is presented by KeyBank will mark the start of Connecticut's 121st season of men's basketball. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. and the contest will air on FS1 and the FOX Sports App with John Fanta and Donny Marshall on the call. The UConn Sports Network from Learfield on 97-9 ESPN will have the game on the radio and the Varsity Network app with Mike Crispino and Wayne Norman back to call the action.
Monday night's contest will be part of FS1 BIG EAST Opening Night Tip-Off coverage. The Huskies open the night in BIG EAST play and will be featured prominently on the Opening Night coverage, but fans wishing to see the full game in its entirety should tune in on the FOX Sports App or at FOXsports.com.
UConn is 90-30 all-time in season openers, including a perfect 5-0 in regular season openers under sixth-year head coach Dan Hurley. The Huskies are 33-1 all-time in Gampel Pavilion openers.
Prior to the season getting underway on Monday night the Huskies will unveil the 2023 National Championship banner in a pregame ceremony, presented by KeyBank. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6 p.m. to catch the entirety of the ceremony. Doors open at 5 p.m. The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a banner rally towel.
The Huskies enter the campaign ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 5 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. UConn returns a pair of starters from last year's title team in Alex Karaban (Southborough, Mass.) and Tristen Newton (El Paso, Texas). Also back is preseason All-American Donovan Clingan (Bristol, Conn.) who will look to build on a hyper-efficient freshman campaign.
The Huskies welcome a top-five recruiting class to Storrs this season, with five freshmen headlined by preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Stephon Castle (Covington, Ga.). In addition to the newcomers is impact transfer Cam Spencer (Davidsonville, Md.), a fifth-year guard and career double-figure scorer.
UConn will face one of the most challenging non-conference schedules in the country this year, with early season dates against No. 1 Kansas, No. 11 Gonzaga, No. 19 North Carolina, Indiana and either No. 18 Texas or Louisville. The Huskies did not lose a game to a non-conference foe last season, going 11-0 in regular season non-league games before their perfect 6-0 run through the NCAA Tournament.
Following Monday night's contest the Huskies will continue a season-opening three-game homestand, taking on Stonehill at the XL Center on Nov. 11.
