University basketball official John Rothstein reported Tuesday morning that the UW men's basketball program is finalizing a home-and-home series against Texas starting next season.
According to Rothstein, the series is scheduled to begin in Austin during the 2025-26 season with a return game in Connecticut, but specific dates and game times have not been disclosed, and official announcements do not include a timetable. do not have.
UW is 7-3 against the Longhorns, including the Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden in November, where the Huskies won 81-71. and has won consecutive national titles. The first meeting between the two programs took place in 1991, with UW winning 94-77, but they have not met since 2015 in Austin (71-66 UW won).
Both teams are expected to look very different when they meet next season.
Texas stars Dillon Mitchell and Tyrese Hunter combined for 34 points against UW, and both entered the transfer portal after the season. Mitchell is scheduled to test the pro waters and Hunter announced his transfer to Memphis on Monday. The Longhorns will also lose Max Abmas, Dylan Diss and Brock Cunningham as their eligibility expires. Coach Rodney Terry added three players from the transfer portal: guard Julian Lally, forward Jason Kent (both from Indiana State University), and guard Tramon Mark, a former leading scorer at Arkansas. Tre Johnson, ESPN's No. 5 pick in the 2024 class, and Nick Cody, No. 78, are also expected to join the program.
UW could lose all five starters to the NBA Draft, with Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle each declaring projected lottery picks and Alex Karavan testing his mettle. Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer will also pursue professional opportunities as their eligibility expires. Big East Sixth Man of the Year Hassan Diarra hasn't decided whether to use his fifth year yet, but the only Husky to enter the portal so far is the little-used Apostolos Lumoglou.
Dan Hurley and his staff are looking for further additions, having acquired former University of Michigan forward Taris Reed Jr. from the portal and welcoming 2024 five-star recruit Liam McNeely on campus this week. McNealy, ranked No. 9 in the class, could join freshmen Ahmad Nowell (No. 34) and Isaiah Abraham (No. 58), according to ESPN.
The matchup at Texas will help set up another tough nonconference schedule for the Huskies, who have won 33 of 34 games against non-Big East opponents over the past two seasons. They are scheduled to play Gonzaga on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden, but the Big 12 teams have yet to be announced for what will reportedly be the final year of the Big East vs. Big 12 battle. UConn is also scheduled to headline the Maui Invitational in November as part of a field that includes Auburn, Colorado, Dayton, Iowa State, Memphis, Michigan State and North Carolina.