Texas Basketball Reveals Non-Conference Schedule for 2021 Season
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team will now know who they'll be facing as part of the team's non-conference schedule for the upcoming season.
The university released official game dates on Tuesday, as tip-off times and conference schedules will be announced at a later date. There's certainly an exciting slate of matchups to look forward to.
Here's the complete non-conference schedule for the Longhorns, according to the official release from UT Austin.
Mon. Nov. 1 - vs. Texas Lutheran (Exhibition Game at Frank Erwin Center)
Tues. Nov. 9 - vs. Houston Baptist (Frank Erwin Center)
Sat. Nov. 13 - @ Gonzaga Bulldogs (Spokane, Washington)
Wed. Nov. 17 - vs Northern Colorado (Abe Lemons Classic at Frank Erwin Center)
Sat. Nov. 20 - vs San Jose State (Abe Lemons Classic at Frank Erwin Center)
Wed. Nov. 24 - vs California Baptist (Abe Lemons Classic at Frank Erwin Center)
Mon. Nov. 29 - vs Sam Houston State (Gregory Gym on UT Austin Campus)
Fri. Dec. 3 - vs UTRGV (Frank Erwin Center)
Thurs. Dec. 9 - @ Seton Hall (Big 12-Big East Battle at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.)
Tues. Dec. 14 - vs Arkansas Pine-Bluff (Frank Erwin Center)
Sun. Dec. 19 - vs. Stanford (Pac-12 Coast-to-Coast Challenge at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.)
Wed. Dec. 22 - vs Rice University (Frank Erwin Center)
Tues. Dec. 28 - vs Incarnate Word (Frank Erwin Center)
Sat. Jan. 29 - vs Tennessee (Big 12-SEC Challenge at Frank Erwin Center)
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There's a lot to love about Texas' non-conference schedule as a Longhorn fan, with tons of anticipated action in Chris Beard's first year as head coach.
2021 marks the final time that Texas basketball will play at the historic Frank Erwin Center, which was first opened in 1977. In total, the Longhorns will play nine non-conference regular season home games in 2021 at the historic venue.
After opening the regular season against Houston Baptist on Nov. 9, the Horns will travel to Spokane to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs, a team that is annually competing for the national championship under head coach Mark Few.
Last season, the Bulldogs finished with an amazing 31-1 record, with the only loss coming against the Baylor Bears in the national championship.
The Longhorns will then travel back to Austin for the Abe Lemons Classic, a multi-team event that will take place from Nov. 17 - Nov. 24 to celebrate the legendary Texas basketball head coach.
Texas' matchup against Sam Houston State will be a historical one, as it marks the first time since 1977 that a men's regular-season game will played at Gregory Gymnasium on UT Austin's campus.
READ MORE: Texas Longhorns Rank No. 15 In Week Two AP Poll
The Longhorns' Las Vegas showdown on Dec. 19 with Stanford in the Pac-12 Coast-to-Coast Challenge will be a key matchup before the team enters Big-12 play during the first week of the New Year.
On Jan. 29, one of the season's most anticipated games will take place at the Frank Erwin Center, as Texas will host Tennessee as part of the Big 12-SEC Challenge. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes, who is the winningest head coach in the history of Longhorn's basketball (402-180), will be making his first return to Austin as head coach of the Volunteers.
Barnes' career as Texas' head coach spanned 17 years from 1998-1999 through 2014-2015 before he was replaced by former head coach Shaka Smart.
Beard and the Longhorns have a fresh roster full of new-faced talent that is in win-now mode. The team will have their work cut out for them as they enter this season as defending Big-12 champions.
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