The Arizona Wildcats have nearly completed a nonconference schedule that could help ease their considerable transition ahead.
Arizona added home games against UTEP (Nov. 14), Texas Southern (Nov. 28) and Utah Valley (Dec. 6), giving them seven early McKale Center contests against mostly mid-major opponents while they replace their entire starting lineup.
The only nonconference game left to fill is the season opener on Nov. 8 or 9, an add-on home game to the Maui Invitational that will be assigned by the tournament.
Ryan Reynolds, who handles scheduling as Arizona’s director of basketball operations, said Tuesday that the team aimed for the home scheduling because of its heavy personnel losses, but noted that Montana, UC Davis and Texas Southern could win their respective conferences.
In addition, one of the Wildcats’ home games is the first of a home-and-away series with Baylor, projected as a fringe NCAA Tournament team.
The Wildcats also will have to cross six time zones while playing a much tougher schedule away from home.
The UA will play in the Nov. 19-21 Maui Invitational against a typically loaded field that includes Duke, Gonzaga, Xavier and San Diego State.
The Wildcats also have games at UConn on Dec. 2 and at Alabama on Dec. 9. However, Reynolds said those are both likely to be played on Sunday afternoons, allowing the Wildcats to return via charter that night.