What stands out about Utah basketball’s nonconference schedule this season

Utah men’s basketball knows what its schedule will look like during its first season in the Big 12 Conference.

The Runnin’ Utes announced their nonconference portion of the 2024-25 schedule on Monday, giving a glimpse at who Utah will face before the grind of league play begins in arguably the nation’s top men’s basketball conference.

Utah basketball’s nonconference schedule, 2024-25 season

Nov. 4 — Alcorn State

Nov. 7 — Central Arkansas

Nov. 12 — Queens

Nov. 17 — vs. Mississippi State*

Nov. 22 — Utah Tech

Nov. 26 — Mississippi Valley State&

Nov. 30 — Eastern Washington&

Dec. 7 — Saint Mary’s

Dec. 14 — Radford

Dec. 17 — Florida A&M

Dec. 21 — vs. Iowa^

* at Landers Center (Southaven, Mississippi)

& Mountain to Sea Showcase (at Huntsman Center)

^ at Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)

3 things that stand out about Utah’s nonconference schedule

Utah has a home schedule tailor made for wins, not as much for a resume builder

The Utes should be heavy favorites in all but one of their home games during the nonconference portion of the schedule — the lone exception is the matchup with Saint Mary’s.

The other eight schools Utah will face in the Huntsman Center before mid-December are all ranked No. 281 or worse in Bart Torvik’s preseason rankings for the 2024-25 college basketball season.

The Gaels, meanwhile, will provide a stiff challenge — they are ranked No. 38 and are coming off three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Last year, Utah went to Moraga, California, and beat Saint Mary’s on its home court, but wasn’t able to build off that impressive win the rest of the year.

This time, the Utes will have the chance to beat the Gaels again, this time at home — and again, that game looks like it will be an important one for the resume.

The two trips out of state will challenge the Utes

While it’s been eight years and counting since Utah last made the NCAA Tournament, their two neutral-site opponents have NCAA experience much more recently.

A win over one — or both — would bolster the Utes’ NCAA resume ahead of Big 12 play.

First, the Utes will face Mississippi State on No. 17 at Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi.

Then, Utah will wrap up its nonleague slate with a matchup against Iowa at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Dec. 21.

Mississippi State is No. 22 in Torvik’s preseason rankings, while Iowa is No. 45.

Mississippi State has made it to the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons, where it has lost in its opening game each time — in the First Four two years ago, then in the first round last year.

There is some recent experience between the Utes and Bulldogs: two years ago, Mississippi State edged Utah 52-49 in the Ft. Myers Tip-Off championship game.

This is the first of a two-game agreement between Utah and Mississippi State — the Bulldogs will face the Utes at the Delta Center on Dec. 13, 2025.

Iowa, meanwhile, has played in the NCAA Tournament four of the past five seasons.

The Utes and Hawkeyes met in the NIT second round last year, with Utah beating Iowa 91-82 at the Huntsman Center.

The nonconference schedule gives Utah a chance to mesh at home

Nine of Utah’s 11 out-of-conference games will be played at home in the Huntsman Center.

Last season, the Utes went 6-0 at the Huntsman Center in nonconference play, and that set the tone as the Utes ended up going 17-2 on their home court during the season.

With the amount of roster turnover the Utes are experiencing this year, not to mention the coaching staff changes, the heavy dose of home games will hopefully help Utah find ways to mesh together before the meat of the schedule, Big 12 play, hits.

The Utes only return four scholarship players — a fifth if you count former walk-on Jayden Teat — and brought in seven Division I transfers. A home-heavy schedule to start the year should help as the team tries to build chemistry early in the year.

What does Utah’s Big 12 conference schedule look like?

Exact dates have not been set for the 20-game Utes’ Big 12 schedule.

The league, though, has announced the scheduling matrix for each team.

The highlight for Utah will be hosting blue blood program Kansas at the Huntsman Center.

Here’s a look at the Utes’ Big 12 opponent matrix for the upcoming season:

• Home-and-away: Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, West Virginia
• Home-only: Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech
• Away-only: Arizona, UCF, Houston, Iowa State, TCU