2019 Gavitt Games Matchups Set Between Big East, Big Ten

The eight matchups for the 2019 Gavitt Tipoff Games are reportedly in place.

The matchups for the 2019 edition of the Gavitt Tipoff Games—a series of eight men's basketball matchups between Big East and Big Ten conference schools—have been set, the leagues announced on Wednesdday.

The Gavitt Games are an annual early-season event that began in 2015 and are held in mid-November. The 2019–20 season matchups are as follows (Note: Due to the limited number of games, only 16 of the conference's combined 24 schools participate each year):

Monday, Nov. 11

DePaul at Iowa

Tuesday, Nov. 12

Minnesota at Butler
Creighton at Michigan

Wednesday, Nov. 13

Purdue at Marquette
Providence at Northwestern
Villanova at Ohio State

Thursday, Nov. 14

Michigan State at Seton Hall
Penn State at Georgetown

Nine of the 16 teams that will be part of the 2019 edition are coming off NCAA tournament berths. Exclusions from next season's event include Indiana, Maryland, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Rutgers and Illinois from the Big Ten, and Xavier and St. John's from the Big East. All of those eight except Maryland participated in 2018; the Big Ten won, 5–3.

Among 2019's headliner matchups are Villanova–Ohio State, Michigan State–Seton Hall, Purdue-Marquette and Creighton-Michigan. The Spartans are widely expected to open the season as the preseason No. 1 after returning All-America point guard Cassius Winston and will also face Kentucky in the Champions Classic earlier that month.