The Big 12 confirmed that its men’s basketball teams next season, the Kansas City Star reported Monday.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ had been expecting to play 20 games in its new conference, though it remains unclear how the Big 12 will assign double-play matchups. A 20-game schedule for the conference’s 16 teams implies each will play five teams twice and the other 10 teams once each.
UA coach Tommy Lloyd said coaches did not discuss details of how the schedule might be divided up during Big 12 meetings last week, and even the length was uncertain for the long-term future. The Big 12 has played 18-game conference schedules since 2011-12.
“Everything I know is 20, that but that might only be one year,†Lloyd said last Thursday at a Wildcat Welcome Tour event in Phoenix. “We don’t know what it looks like two years from now.â€
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For ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, having to play 20 conference games cemented the Wildcats’ inability to face Purdue in Las Vegas next season. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ must play 16 regular-season home games to meet its self-imposed minimum at McKale Center but is now contracted to play a total of 15 games out of the maximum 31 away from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, including the 10 Big 12 road games.
The Wildcats are also looking into somehow squeezing in another nonconference game to be played in Phoenix next season, though it is unclear if that might count for the homecourt minimum.
As of now, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s schedule at McKale is expected to include six nonconference games, plus 10 Big 12 games.
According to the Kansas City Star, Kansas coach Bill Self has not been in favor of moving to a 20-game schedule. The Big 12 could have five teams, including ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, among the Top 10 or 15 nationally entering next season.
“We don’t want that,†Self said last month. “One of our problems this year with our young kids was we didn’t play a schedule that allowed those guys to play through mistakes. Going to 20 league games, it would be that on steroids.â€
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, ASU, Utah and Colorado are scheduled to leave the imploded Pac-12 and join 12 others in the Big 12 next season, while Texas and Oklahoma are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC.
“I think it’s good for our league. I think it gives us another footprint,†Self said of the former Pac-12 teams Monday, according to the Kansas City Star. “I think from a timezone standpoint, getting in the Mountain Time Zone and getting into the Pacific Time Zone will be great for our league.
“I think they were four really terrific additions for us.â€
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe