Villanova's Big East slate set
Villanova will open its 18-game Big East schedule at West Virginia on Wednesday, Dec. 28, according to the conference schedule released today.
All 144 league games will be televised with more than half on national television. After a season when the league placed a record 11 teams in the NCAA Tournament, 91 percent of all conference games in 2011-12 will include a team that played in the 2011 NCAA tourney.
Villanova also will take part in the Jimmy V Classic at Dec. 6 at Madison Square Garden. The Wildcats face Missouri, followed by Marquette against Washington.
The Wildcats also will host a Big Monday showdown with defending national champion UConn on Feb. 20.
ESPN or ESPN2 will carry four league games on Sundays, the most ever, beginning with Villanova at Pittsburgh on Feb. 5.
Currently, 13 Villanova conference games are on the national television slate with ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU along with the Saturday, Feb. 25 game at Georgetown on CBS.
Among the other national TV games for the Wildcats are the Dec. 10 Big 5 game at Temple (5 p.m., ESPN2) and games in the 76 Classic, beginning with Villanova vs. UC Riverside on Nov. 24 at 9 p.m. (ESPNU). Villanova will play Saint Louis or Boston College the following night.
Here is the Big East schedule:
Wednesday, Dec. 28
Villanova at West Virginia
Sunday, Jan. 1
Villanova at Marquette 1 p.m. ESPNU
Thursday, Jan. 5
USF at Villanova
Sunday, Jan. 8
DePaul at Villanova
Wednesday, Jan. 11
Syracuse at Villanova 7 p.m. ESPN2
Saturday, Jan. 14
Villanova at Cincinnati
Wednesday, Jan. 18
Seton Hall at Villanova 7 p.m. ESPNU
Saturday, Jan. 21
Villanova at St. John's 1 p.m. ESPNU
Wednesday, Jan. 25
Villanova at Louisville 7 p.m. ESPN
Saturday, Jan. 28
Marquette at Villanova Noon ESPN/ESPN2
Sunday, Feb. 5
Villanova at Pittsburgh 2 p.m. ESPN
Tuesday, Feb. 7
Providence at Villanova
Wednesday, Feb. 15
Villanova at USF 7 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 18
Notre Dame at Villanova 7 p.m./9 p.m. ESPNU
Monday, Feb. 20
Connecticut at Villanova 7 p.m. ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 25
Villanova at Georgetown 2 p.m. CBS
Thursday, March 1
Villanova at Rutgers 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, March 3
Cincinnati at Villanova 2 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Note: All conference games not listed with CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU above will be televised either by ESPN Regional/BIG EAST Network, or ESPN3.com. Games listed as 'ESPN/ESPN2' will be selected to either ESPN or ESPN2, but the start time will not change.