La Salle's 2017-18 non-conference men's basketball schedule includes Villanova at the Wells Fargo Center
The Explorers will play at the arena for the first time in program history.
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La Salle announced its schedule of 2017-18 nonconference men's basketball games on Thursday, and that gives us the first glimpse of what the coming season's Big Five slate will look like.
The Explorers will begin their season with a home game against Saint Peter's on Nov. 11. Two days later, they'll head to the Palestra to face Penn in what could be the first City Series game on the calendar.
In mid-November, La Salle will head up to the Mohegan Sun Arena for the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament. Northwestern awaits on Nov. 18, followed by Texas Tech or Boston College a day later.
On the night before Thanksgiving, the Explorers will play Miami (Fla.) at Reading's Santander Arena. It will be a holiday homecoming for much-touted incoming freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV, who played at Reading High before joining the Hurricanes.
The Sunday of that weekend, Temple will visit Tom Gola Arena. Then, a few days later, John Giannini's team will fly across the Atlantic Ocean to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to play in a tournament with Towson, Manhattan and Holy Cross.
Upon returning home, La Salle will host Drexel at Tom Gola Arena on Dec. 7. On Dec. 10, the Explorers will play at the Wells Fargo Center for the first time in program history when they face Villanova. The Wildcats are calling South Philadelphia home for the entire season while the Pavilion is being renovated.
The last two non-conference games of the season will be at home vs. Mercer on Dec. 17 and at Bucknell on Dec. 22.
Here's the nonconference schedule in full. All tipoff times are still to be determined:
Saturday, Nov. 11: vs. St. Peter's
Monday, Nov. 13: at Penn
Thursday, Nov. 16: vs. South Alabama
Saturday, Nov. 18: vs. Northwestern at Uncasville, Conn. (Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament)
Sunday, Nov. 19: vs. Texas Tech or Boston College at Uncasville, Conn. (Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament)
Wednesday, Nov. 22: vs. Miami (Fla.) at Reading, Pa.
Sunday, Nov. 26: at Temple
Friday, Dec. 1: vs. Towson at Belfast, Northern Ireland (Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic)
Saturday, Dec. 2: vs. Manhattan or Holy Cross at Belfast, Northern Ireland (Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic)
Thursday, Dec. 7: vs. Drexel
Sunday, Dec. 10: at Villanova
Sunday, Dec. 17: vs. Mercer
Friday, Dec. 22: at Bucknell