Arizona released its completed early season schedule this week. The framework of the schedule has already been done for a while now, but it just had to all be finalized and made official. The Red-Blue Game is remaining in place under Tommy Lloyd and that will take place Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. MST at McKale Center. After that the Wildcats will host their lone exhibition Nov. 1 against Eastern New Mexico. The Wildcats will have a closed scrimmage (supposed to be against St. Mary's) in between those two dates. Each team is allowed to play two exhibitions without a closed scrimmage, split them up or have two closed scrimmages. Lloyd opted for the middle option in his first year, and it will likely stay that way for the foreseeable future.
UA opens the season Nov. 9 at home against Northern Arizona. Among the highlights of the schedule is a trip to Las Vegas for the Roman Main Event at T-Mobile Arena that will feature Michigan, Wichita State and UNLV. Though it has not been made official, the Wildcats are expected to play Wichita State in the opening round before taking on the winner/loser of the game between Michigan and UNLV.
Arizona will make the return trip to Champaign for its home-and-home series with Illinois on Dec. 11. Instead of playing Gonzaga on the road this season as part of that home-and-home series, the Wildcats will instead travel to Tennessee for a road matchup on Dec. 22 to wrap up nonconference play. Lloyd likes how his team matches up with the Volunteers style wise, so that is why the Wildcats pursued that game this year.
Here's the full early season schedule.
Series History vs. Early Season Opponents
Eastern New Mexico (Exhibition): Arizona has played ENMU once during the regular season, a 118-66 win in Tucson on Dec. 13, 1960.
Northern Arizona: Arizona leads the all-time series, 100-27
UT Rio Grande Valley: UTRGV is a result of a merger of two schools, one of which was UT – Pan American. The Wildcats are 1-1 all-time against UTPA, losing at home in 1983 before winning in Edinburgh, Texas in 1984.
North Dakota State: Arizona leads the all-time series, 1-0, picking up a win on Dec. 18, 2017 in Tucson.
Wichita State: Arizona trails the all-time series with the Shockers, 2-1.
UNLV: Arizona trails the all-time series with UNLV, 12-9, but won the last two meetings in 2015 and 2017.
Michigan: Arizona leads the all-time series, 8-2, including wins in 2013 and 2014.
Sacramento State: This will be the first meeting
Washington: Arizona leads the all-time series, 56-31, after sweeping both games during the 2020-21 season.
Oregon State: Arizona leads the all-time series, 68-22, and has won 10 of the last 11 meetings overall.
Wyoming: Arizona leads the all-time series, 20-15, but this will be the first meeting between the two schools since 2004.
Illinois: Arizona leads the all-time series, 9-6, but posted a 90-69 win in Tucson during the 2019-20 season.
Northern Colorado: Arizona leads the all-time series, 3-1, with the most recent meeting coming in 2016.
Cal Baptist: This will be the first meeting. The two teams were supposed to play in 2020-21 but the game was cancelled due to Covid-19 protocols.
Tennessee: Arizona trails the all-time series, 3-1, with the last meeting coming in 1998 in Albuquerque, when Arizona win 73-72.
UA opens the season Nov. 9 at home against Northern Arizona. Among the highlights of the schedule is a trip to Las Vegas for the Roman Main Event at T-Mobile Arena that will feature Michigan, Wichita State and UNLV. Though it has not been made official, the Wildcats are expected to play Wichita State in the opening round before taking on the winner/loser of the game between Michigan and UNLV.
Arizona will make the return trip to Champaign for its home-and-home series with Illinois on Dec. 11. Instead of playing Gonzaga on the road this season as part of that home-and-home series, the Wildcats will instead travel to Tennessee for a road matchup on Dec. 22 to wrap up nonconference play. Lloyd likes how his team matches up with the Volunteers style wise, so that is why the Wildcats pursued that game this year.
Here's the full early season schedule.
| Oct. 2 | 3:00pm | First Watch Red-Blue Game | Tucson, AZ |
| Nov. 1 | Eastern New Mexico (Exh.) | Tucson, AZ | |
| Nov. 9 | Northern Arizona | Tucson, AZ | |
| Nov. 12 | UT Rio Grande Valley | Tucson, AZ | |
| Nov. 16 | North Dakota State # | Tucson, AZ | |
| Nov. 19 | vs. Wichita State/UNLV/Michigan^ | Las Vegas, NV | |
| Nov. 21 | vs. TBA^ | Las Vegas, NV | |
| Nov. 27 | Sacramento State | Tucson, AZ | |
| Dec. 2 | Washington (Pac-12) | Tucson, AZ | |
| Dec. 5 | at Oregon State (Pac-12) | Corvallis, OR | |
| Dec. 8 | Wyoming | Tucson, AZ | |
| Dec. 11 | at Illinois | Champaign, IL | |
| Dec. 15 | Northern Colorado | Tucson, AZ | |
| Dec. 18 | Cal Baptist | Tucson, AZ | |
| Dec. 22 | at Tennessee | Knoxville, TN |
Series History vs. Early Season Opponents
Eastern New Mexico (Exhibition): Arizona has played ENMU once during the regular season, a 118-66 win in Tucson on Dec. 13, 1960.
Northern Arizona: Arizona leads the all-time series, 100-27
UT Rio Grande Valley: UTRGV is a result of a merger of two schools, one of which was UT – Pan American. The Wildcats are 1-1 all-time against UTPA, losing at home in 1983 before winning in Edinburgh, Texas in 1984.
North Dakota State: Arizona leads the all-time series, 1-0, picking up a win on Dec. 18, 2017 in Tucson.
Wichita State: Arizona trails the all-time series with the Shockers, 2-1.
UNLV: Arizona trails the all-time series with UNLV, 12-9, but won the last two meetings in 2015 and 2017.
Michigan: Arizona leads the all-time series, 8-2, including wins in 2013 and 2014.
Sacramento State: This will be the first meeting
Washington: Arizona leads the all-time series, 56-31, after sweeping both games during the 2020-21 season.
Oregon State: Arizona leads the all-time series, 68-22, and has won 10 of the last 11 meetings overall.
Wyoming: Arizona leads the all-time series, 20-15, but this will be the first meeting between the two schools since 2004.
Illinois: Arizona leads the all-time series, 9-6, but posted a 90-69 win in Tucson during the 2019-20 season.
Northern Colorado: Arizona leads the all-time series, 3-1, with the most recent meeting coming in 2016.
Cal Baptist: This will be the first meeting. The two teams were supposed to play in 2020-21 but the game was cancelled due to Covid-19 protocols.
Tennessee: Arizona trails the all-time series, 3-1, with the last meeting coming in 1998 in Albuquerque, when Arizona win 73-72.
