Madison Square Garden Hosts 14 National Champions and 11 Ranked Men’s Teams
Fourteen men’s college basketball programs that have won an NCAA championship are scheduled to play at Madison Square Garden this season, alongside the UConn women’s program and its 12 national titles. The regular-season slate features 11 men’s programs in the preseason AP Top 25, bringing five top-10 teams and seven top-13 programs to the Manhattan arena.
No. 2 Duke, No. 4 UConn, and No. 13 St. John’s are scheduled for multiple appearances ahead of the Big East and NCAA tournaments in March. St. John’s opens the Garden schedule on Nov. 8 by hosting Iona, followed a week later by a matchup against Syracuse.
High-Profile Non-Conference Matchups Fill the Slate
Hall of Fame coach John Calipari brings No. 12 Arkansas to The Garden to face Indiana on Nov. 17, and No. 5 Arizona arrives Dec. 5 to play St. John’s. Three days later, the annual Jimmy V Classic features Duke against Georgia, followed by No. 10 Houston playing No. 20 Alabama.
The weekend before Christmas brings five games in three days. Play begins Dec. 19 with the CBS Sports Classic matching No. 17 Kansas against Ohio State, and No. 23 Kentucky against North Carolina. St. John’s then plays its Big East opener against DePaul later that evening.
St. John’s Sets Historic Home Schedule at The Garden
St. John’s is scheduled to play 13 regular-season home games at Madison Square Garden, marking its highest total at the arena since the 1950-51 season. The remaining home games are ticketed for Carnesecca Arena on the Queens campus.
For the first time, the Johnnies will play all of their conference home games at MSG. Their New York City meeting with rival UConn is scheduled for Friday night, Jan. 29, following back-to-back sweeps of the Big East regular-season and tournament titles over the past two years, as noted in the sources.
UConn Women Visit Manhattan for St. John’s Matchup
The UConn women’s team will also make an appearance at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 24, when Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma and the second-ranked Huskies visit St. John’s.
The men’s schedule also features the SentinelOne Showdown on Dec. 20, matching coach Dan Hurley and UConn against No. 9 Virginia. On Dec. 21, No. 2 Duke returns to face No. 19 Texas Tech in a rematch of last December’s game where the Red Raiders overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat the Blue Devils 82-81.
Frequently Asked Questions About the MSG College Basketball Schedule
When does the college basketball season begin at Madison Square Garden?
Play opens on Nov. 8 when St. John’s hosts Iona at the arena.
How many home games will St. John’s play at Madison Square Garden?
St. John’s is scheduled for 13 regular-season home games at the Garden, its most since the 1950-51 season.
Which ranked teams are playing in the CBS Sports Classic at MSG?
No. 17 Kansas plays Ohio State, and No. 23 Kentucky takes on North Carolina on Dec. 19.
When do St. John’s and UConn play each other in New York City?
The conference matchup is scheduled for Friday night, Jan. 29.