AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) – The Auburn men’s basketball team is gearing up for one of the most challenging schedules in its history for the 2024-25 season.
Auburn's schedule includes several high-profile home games at Neville Arena, beginning with the season opener against defending America East Conference champion Vermont on Nov. 6. Other home games feature matchups against Kent State (Nov. 13), North Alabama (Nov. 18), Richmond (Dec. 8), Georgia State (Dec. 17), and Monmouth (Dec. 30).
The Tigers will also compete in several notable neutral-site games. They will face defending Big 12 Conference regular-season champion Houston on Nov. 9 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, and Ohio State on Dec. 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
A marquee game against national runner-up Purdue is set for Dec. 21 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.
“This is by far the toughest schedule in Auburn basketball history and probably in my 29 years of being a head coach,” said head coach Bruce Pearl. “Our success over the last eight seasons has really enabled us to be an attractive opponent to some of the best teams in the country. We are liable to see six or seven teams in the non-conference that could play in this year’s NCAA Final Four."
The only true road game on Auburn's non-conference schedule is a highly anticipated SEC/ACC Challenge game against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Dec. 6. The Blue Devils reached the NCAA Elite Eight last season.
“It sends a statement to our players that I believe in them, and in the world of college basketball, we want to be a perennial Top 25 program,” Pearl said. “More than anybody, I am happy for our student-athletes that they get to play the very best in college basketball.”
Auburn's season opponents, including potential matchups in the Maui Invitational, include 11 teams ranked in the final Associated Press Poll last season: UConn (No. 1), Purdue (No. 2), Alabama (No. 3), Houston (No. 4), Tennessee (No. 5), North Carolina (No. 7), Iowa State (No. 8), Duke (No. 9), Kentucky (No. 20), Dayton (No. 24), and South Carolina (No. 25).
SEC midweek games, game times, and televised games will be announced at a later date.
2023-24 AUBURN MEN’S BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT
Nov. 6 VERMONT
Nov. 9 vs. Houston (Toyota Center)
Nov. 13 KENT STATE
Nov. 18 NORTH ALABAMA
Nov. 25 vs. Iowa State (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 26 vs. Dayton/North Carolina (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 27 vs. TBA (Maui Invitational)
Dec. 4 at Duke
Dec. 8 RICHMOND
Dec. 14 vs. Ohio State (State Farm Arena)
Dec. 17 GEORGIA STATE
Dec. 21 vs. Purdue (Legacy Arena)
Dec. 30 MONMOUTH
