BYU fans used to mock the preseason schedules of men’s basketball power conference programs, citing too many home games, few contests against top-tier opponents and a reluctance to play any decent non-power conference teams.

Now, the Cougars play a schedule just like it.

When BYU competed in the Mountain West and West Coast Conferences it had to search for Quad 1 and Quad 2 games, almost never getting those teams to come to Provo.

Not anymore. The Cougars released the non-conference portion of its 2024-25 schedule on Monday and it reflects the new reality of playing in the Big 12: BYU has just one true road game and plays its first five contests at the Marriott Center, six if you count the exhibition game. Highlights include neutral site games in San Diego against Ole Miss (then Purdue or North Carolina State), the roadie to Providence and a game against former MWC foe Wyoming in the Delta Center.

One notable aspect of the schedule is that BYU won’t play any other teams based in the state of Utah in the preseason: No Utah Valley, no Weber State, no Utah State, no Southern Utah and no Utah Tech. Not even Westminster. The last time a Cougar men’s basketball team didn’t play a team from its own state in the preseason? Try 1961, folks.

Like all Big 12 teams, the Cougars are limited to just 11 non-conference games this season since they will have 20 conference contests. In other words, plenty of opportunities to brush up the NCAA resume playing in the best and most competitive conference in college basketball.

Here’s how it breaks down: Following an exhibition contest against Colorado Christian on Oct. 30, BYU opens the season with five consecutive games in the friendly confines of the Marriott Center, beginning with the season opener against Central Arkansas on Nov. 5.

The Cougars host UC Riverside on Nov. 8 for the first time since 1999, followed by matchups against Queens (Nov. 13), Idaho (Nov. 16) and Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 23).

The Cougars will take part in the Rady Children’s Invitational on Nov. 28-29 at LionTree Arena in San Diego, Calif., alongside NC State, Purdue and Ole Miss. The full bracket will be released in the coming weeks.

They will travel across the country for their only true road game of non-conference play when they face Providence on Dec. 3 as part of the Big 12-BIG EAST Battle. It will be the third all-time meeting between the two programs and BYU’s first trip to Amica Mutual Pavilion since its run to Elite Eight in 1981.

BYU will face a pair of Mountain West foes, hosting Fresno State on Dec. 11 before taking on Wyoming on Dec. 14 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

They conclude non-conference play on Dec. 20 when they welcome the Rattlers of Florida A&M to Provo for the first time.

The dates and times of the 20-game Big 12 schedule will be announced later on. Earlier this summer, the Big 12 released the league’s matchups. The Cougars will play home and away against Arizona, Arizona State and Utah; home only against UCF, Colorado, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State then away only at Baylor, Cincinnati, Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

2024-25 BYU Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 30 Colorado Christian (exhibition)

Tuesday, Nov. 5 Central Arkansas

Friday, Nov. 8 UC Riverside

Wednesday, Nov. 13 Queens

Saturday, Nov. 16 Idaho

Saturday, Nov. 23 Mississippi Valley State

Thursday, Nov. 28 at Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego (Purdue, Ole Miss, NC State)

Friday, Nov. 29 at Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego (Purdue, Ole Miss, NC State)

Tuesday, Dec. 3 at Providence (Big 12-Big East Battle)

Wednesday, Dec. 11 Fresno State

Saturday, Dec. 14 Wyoming (Delta Center)

Friday, Dec. 20 Florida A&M

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