MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — The West Virginia men’s basketball team will open up its conference season in a rare Friday game on Dec. 18, when the Mountaineers host Iowa State.
The Big 12 unveiled its conference schedule Monday, giving the Mountaineers 23 of a maximum 27 regular-season games for the 2020-21 season.
It was announced last week that WVU is also scheduled to host Florida in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Jan. 30 and the Mountaineers will also play three games in the Crossover Classic to open the season from Nov. 25-27, in Sioux Falls, S.D.
WVU will also play in the Big East/Big 12 Battle on Dec. 5 against an opponent that has yet to be announced.
The school said the remaining nonconference games would be released at a later date.
As for the Big 12 schedule, the Mountaineers will have two league games before Christmas — the opener against Iowa State and then a road game at Kansas on Dec. 22.
The remaining 16 conference games will be played following the New Year.
The Big 12 tournament in Kansas City is scheduled to begin March 10, which will be 11 days after the final regular season game, a Feb. 27 home match-up against Kansas State.
WVU has five Saturday home games scheduled and two home games on a Monday — Jan. 25 against Texas Tech and Feb. 15 against Baylor — that could potentially be ESPN Big Monday featured games.
As for help with travel concerns, WVU did get four quick-turnaround road games scheduled that would allow WVU to stay on the road without traveling back to Morgantown in between.
WVU will travel to Oklahoma on Jan. 2 and then to Oklahoma State on Jan. 4, as well as travel to Texas on Feb. 20 and then to TCU on Feb. 22.
The schedule so far:
Nov. 25 vs. Texas A&M at the Crossover Classic
Nov. 26 at Crossover Classic
Nov. 27 at Crossover Classic
Dec. 5 at the Big East/Big 12 Battle
Dec. 18 vs. Iowa State
Dec. 22 at Kansas
Jan. 2 at Oklahoma
Jan. 4 at Oklahoma State
Jan. 9 vs. Texas
Jan. 12 at Baylor
Jan. 16 vs. TCU
Jan. 19 vs. Oklahoma State
Jan. 23 at Kansas State
Jan. 25 vs. Texas Tech
Jan. 30 vs. Florida in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge
Feb. 2 at Iowa State
Feb. 6 Kansas
Feb. 9 at Texas Tech
Feb. 13 vs. Oklahoma
Feb. 15 vs. Baylor
Feb. 20 at Texas
Feb. 22 at TCU
Feb. 27 vs. Kansas State
Mar. 10-13 Big 12 Championship
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