Providence announced their 2018-19 non-conference schedule on Tuesday via a Twitter video. A year after Ed Cooley called the 2017-18 pre-Big East slate “the hardest schedule we would have played since I’ve been at Providence College,” the Friar head coach and assistant Brian Blaney don’t appear to be taking any breaks on the 2018-19 team. The 2018-19 schedule starts a few days earlier this year due to a change in NCAA rules on when the college basketball season can begin. The Friars open the regular season at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on November 6th against Siena, a game that is part of the 2018 Hall of Fame Tip Off, and then Providence will avoid the annual Rhode Island Comic Con conflict at the Dunk by trekking down to Annapolis to take on AAC member Wichita State on a neutral court as part of the 2018 Veterans Classic hosted by Navy.

Two additional neutral court games will be the bracketed portion of the Hall of Fame Tip Off against South Carolina and either George Washington or Michigan in mid-November. The Friars will also face Boston College and Texas on the road. The Texas series also features a return game to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center next season. Another opponent returning to the Dunk for the first time since pre-2010 will be Iona. Providence is 1-3 all-time against the New Rochelle school.

The schedule also features the annual matchups against regional rivals UMass and URI with the latter two both happening at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center this season. Providence will also play Holy Cross for the first time since 2012. The Friars will not play crosstown rival Brown this season, marking the first break in the series since the gap between matchups in November 2002 and January 2005. Brown is Providence’s second-most played opponent in school history behind URI. The Friars lead the series with the Bears, 96-28.

Here’s the full non-conference schedule (note you can subscribe to the pcbb1917.com calendar at that link to get all games and other Friar hoops events, like Ed Cooley radio show dates, on your phone’s calendar):

Date Day Time (ET) Opponent Location TV 11/6 Tue 6:30 PM Siena~ Dunkin' Donuts Center FSN 11/9 Fri 6:00 PM Wichita State% Alumni Hall at Navy CBSSN 11/13 Tues 7:00 PM Holy Cross~ Dunkin' Donuts Center FS2 11/17 Sat 2:30 PM South Carolina~ Mohegan Sun Arena ESPN3 11/18 Sun 1:30 PM (18) Michigan~ Mohegan Sun Arena ESPN 11/24 Sat 4:00 PM Iona Dunkin’ Donuts Center FSN 11/27 Tue 8:30 PM Fairleigh Dickinson Dunkin' Donuts Center FS1 12/1 Sat 5:00 PM Rhode Island Dunkin' Donuts Center FS1 12/4 Tue 7:00 PM Boston College (OT) Conte Forum ESPN2 12/7 Fri 7:00 PM Massachusetts Dunkin' Donuts Center FS1 12/16 Sun 2:00 PM Central Connecticut Dunkin' Donuts Center FS1 12/18 Tue 7:00 PM Albany Dunkin' Donuts Center FSN 12/21 Fri 9:00 PM Texas Frank Erwin Center ESPN2

Home

Albany (1-0)

Central Connecticut (5-2)

Fairleigh Dickinson (2-1)

Holy Cross (42-28)

Iona (1-3)

Massachusetts (25-8)

Rhode Island (73-55)

Siena (10-4)

Road

Boston College (61-51)

Texas (2-3)

Neutral

George Washington (3-1)/Michigan (2-0)

South Carolina (5-3)

Wichita State (0-2)

Record next to school is Providence’s all-time record against that school

Stay tuned for a breakdown of each opponent Providence will face prior to Big East play.

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