Your reigning National Champion Villanova Wildcats have released their 2016-17 schedule, so mark up those calendars.

Eighteen BIG EAST games, the Big Five, and out-of-conference matchups with the Virginia Cavaliers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish highlight the schedule. Additionally ‘Nova will be traveling to South Carolina to participate in the Charleston Classic and to Indiana to take on Purdue in the Gavitt Games in November.

In 2016, the Wildcats set a program record with 35 victories, a third consecutive BIG EAST Regular Season Championship, and the school’s second National Championship.

Villanova open up the defense of that championship on Friday November 11th against Lafayette on Fox Sports 2.

The Wildcats will also participate in the Gavitt Games this season matching up against the Purdue Boilermakers from the Big Ten in a very-early season matchup against a probable Top 25 squad.

Western Michigan will be the ‘Cats first opponent in the Charleston Classic. Boise State, Central Florida, College of Charleston, Mississippi State, UTEP, and Wake Forest round out the field.

Villanova will also play non-conference home games at The Pavilion against Lafayette, American, and the College of Charleston.

Big Five play will start on November 29th at the Palestra against Penn and will be wrapped up in two weeks as ‘Nova will host St. Joseph’s (PA) on December 3rd, travel back to the Palestra to face LaSalle on the 6th and wrap up the City Series against Temple on December 13th.

Jay Wright’s squad, who has claimed the BIG EAST Regular Season Championship three consecutive season will look for the four-peat when they open up conference play against DePaul on December 28th. The BIG EAST has done away with the NYE marathon for this season, instead hosting their marathon on Martin Luther King Day. Villanova hosts Seton Hall as part of that lineup.

Villanova will play 5 games at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly including the exhibition game against IUP and non-conference matchup with Virginia. The big news? A top-heavy Pavilion schedule that will feature Xavier, Seton Hall, and Georgetown.

2016-17 Villanova Wildcats Men's Basketball Schedule

DATE TIME (ET) OPPONENT LOCATION TV Saturday, November 5, 2016 12:00 PM IUP (Exhibition) Philadelphia, PA n/a Friday, November 11, 2016 6:30 PM Lafayette Leopards Villanova, PA FS2 Monday, November 14, 2016 7:00 PM Purdue Boilermakers West Lafayette, IN Big Ten Thursday, November 17, 2016 11:30 AM Western Michigan Broncos Charleston, SC ESPN2 Friday, November 18, 2016 1:30/3:30pm Wake Forest Demon Deacons OR Texas-El Paso Miners Charleston, SC ESPN2/ESPN3 Sunday, November 20, 2016 TBD TBD Charleston, SC ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN3 Wednesday, November 23, 2016 7:00 PM College of Charleston Cougars Villanova, PA FS1 Tuesday, November 29, 2016 TBD Penn Quakers Philadelphia, PA TBD Saturday, December 3, 2016 1:00 PM Saint Josephs Hawks Villanova, PA CBS Sports Network Tuesday, December 6, 2016 7:00 PM La Salle Explorers Philadelphia, PA ESPN2 Saturday, December 10, 2016 12:00 PM Notre Dame Fighting Irish Newark, NJ CBS Tuesday, December 13, 2016 7:00 PM Temple Owls Villanova, PA FS1 Wednesday, December 21, 2016 6:30 PM American University Eagles Villanova, PA FS1 Wednesday, December 28, 2016 6:30 PM DePaul Blue Demons Villanova, PA FS1 Saturday, December 31, 2016 1:00 PM Creighton Bluejays Omaha, NE FS1 Wednesday, January 4, 2017 6:30 PM Butler Bulldogs Indianapolis, IN FS1 Saturday, January 7, 2017 7:30 PM Marquette Golden Eagles Philadelphia, PA FS1 Tuesday, January 10, 2017 7:00 PM Xavier Musketeers Villanova, PA FS1 Thursday, January 14, 2016 12:00 PM St. John's Red Storm New York, NY FS1 Monday, January 16, 2017 6:30 PM Seton Hall Pirates Villanova, PA FS1 Saturday, January 21, 2017 12:00 PM Providence Friars Philadelphia, PA FOX Tuesday, January 24, 2017 8:00 PM Marquette Golden Eagles Milwaukee, WI FS1 Sunday, January 29, 2017 1:00 PM Virginia Cavaliers Philadelphia, PA FOX Wednesday, February 1, 2017 7:00 PM Providence Friars Providence, RI FS1 Saturday, February 4, 2017 8:00 PM St. John's Red Storm Philadelphia, PA CBS Sports Network Tuesday, February 7, 2017 7:00 PM Georgetown Hoyas Villanova, PA FS1 Saturday, February 11, 2017 2:30 PM Xavier Musketeers Cincinnati, OH FOX Monday, February 13, 2017 9:00 PM DePaul Blue Demons Rosemont, IL CBS Sports Network Saturday, February 18, 2017 12:30 PM Seton Hall Pirates Newark, NJ FOX Wednesday, February 22, 2017 9:00 PM Butler Bulldogs Villanova, PA FS1 Saturday, February 25, 2017 3:00 PM Creighton Bluejays Villanova, PA FOX Saturday, March 4, 2017 12:00 PM Georgetown Hoyas Washington, DC TBD