Arizona Basketball Officially Unveils 2025 Non-Conference Schedule Lineup

Arizona basketball is inching closer to the start of the season and has released the non-conference schedule.
Dec 30, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) celebrates a layup during the second half of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Dec 30, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) celebrates a layup during the second half of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

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Since taking over Arizona, head coach Tommy Lloyd has been one of the most successful up-and-coming coaches in college basketball, going 112-33 over the course of the last four seasons, making the NCAA Tournament each season and leading the program to three Sweet Sixteen appearances.

This past season, Lloyd and his program entered a new era of Arizona basketball with the Wildcats leaving the Pac-12 and joining the Big 12 Conference. In UA’s first season in a new conference, the team went 24-13 while finishing third in the conference standings.

Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (1) and forward Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In the Big 12 Tournament, the Wildcats made it to the conference title game and fell 72-64 to Houston, which would go on to play for the National Title.

Following the end of the season, Arizona lost star guard Caleb Love to graduation and forward Carter Bryant to the NBA Draft, where he went No. 14 overall to the San Antonio Spurs.

Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Plus, Arizona saw two key players in KJ Lewis and Henri Veesaar leave the program and transfer to Power 4 programs.

Despite that, Arizona will be fully loaded again with four key returners in Jaden Badley, Tobe Awaka, Anthony Dell’Orso and Motiejus Krivas. Plus, Lloyd and his staff signed the No. 2 recruiting class, according to 24/7 Sports.

UA
Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots the ball against Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) during the first half during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

We are inching closer to the start of the college basketball season with Arizona tipping off its schedule against defending national champions in the Florida Gators in Las Vegas 48 days from now.

As we get closer to the start of the year, we will see multiple rankings released, watch lists for players heading into the season and experts giving their preseason predictions as to who will be dancing in March.

One poll that has been released is the Top 25 rankings from Field of 68, which has the Wildcats at No. 17 to begin the year.

Jan 20, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Llyod on the sidelines against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images | Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images

The Big 12 is regarded as one of the top conferences in college hoops and the latest rankings show that with six teams from the conference making the rankings.

Right now, the rankings have the six teams ranked as No. 2 Houston, No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 11 BYU, No. 16 Kansas, No. 17 Arizona and No. 18 Iowa State, rounding out the list.

Arizona and Lloyd have set up one of the toughest non-conference slates of games in the country, with the Wildcats facing No. 3 Florida, No. 4 UConn, No. 13 UCLA, No. 14 Alabama and No. 15 Auburn all finding a spot in the rankings.

Now, the Wildcats have released their full non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season, which features eight home games with Auburn headlining the McKale Center slate of games.

Above, we have listed the teams the Wildcats will play that will be in the AP Poll Top 25 when the preseason poll gets released.

Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

There is a ninth game in the state of Arizona with the Wildcats taking on San Diego State in Phoenix in a neutral-site game.

Please be sure to share your thoughts on Arizona’s non-conference schedule and tell us who you are excited to see UA play. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.


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Troy Hutchison
TROY HUTCHISON

Troy Hutchison grew up attending Arizona athletic events, which gave him a unique perspective and knowledge of the athletic department's rich history. He attended UA and began covering the Wildcats in 2018. As the Arizona Wildcats Beat Writer on SI, he is set to deliver wall-to-wall coverage to give fans an in-depth perspective.

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