BYU Basketball Announces 2022-23 Non-Conference Schedule
Sep 7, 2022, 10:01 AM | Updated: 1:17 pm
BYU basketball will take on San Diego State in their lone true road game of the non-conference schedule in 2022-23 season. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball unveiled its final non-conference schedule as a team outside a power conference.
The 2022-23 season will be BYU’s final year as a member of the WCC. Being in a non-power conference makes lining up non-conference games, at times, a challenge. However, in the future, non-conference scheduling won’t be much of a headache as BYU prepares for life in the Big 12, one of the toughest leagues in America.
Notable matchups in #BYU's non-conference schedule.
– Nov. 11 at San Diego State
– Battle 4 Atlantis
– Dec. 10 vs. Creighton in Las Vegas
– Dec. 17 vs. Utah#BYUHoops @kslsports— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 7, 2022
But for now, coach Mark Pope enters his fourth season and has another challenging non-conference schedule, but this one appears to be more balanced than years past. BYU is looking to bounce back to the NCAA Tournament after ending up in the NIT last season.
The non-conference schedule opens up two months from today when the Cougars host Idaho State from the Big Sky Conference on Monday, November 7.
BYU has a crucial road trip to Montezuma Mesa to face an old Mountain West Conference rival in San Diego State on November 11. The two programs have played each of the last three years, and all three games have been excellent early season tests.
BYU has won the last two meetings, including a 72-62 victory at Viejas Arena in 2020, when the Aztecs were ranked No. 16 in the nation.
BYU basketball participating in top MTE, Battle 4 Atlantis
During Thanksgiving, BYU will participate in one of the Multi-Team Events (MTE) in college basketball. BYU is in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, which begins November 23 and runs through November 25.
#BYU running ads promoting the 2022 Battle 4 Atlantis.
BYU will be in a field that includes future Big 12 foe Kansas, USC, Tennessee, others.#BYUHoops @kslsports pic.twitter.com/Aow2XZKoFw
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 4, 2022
BYU opens Atlantis against USC on November 23 at 3 p.m. (MT) on ESPN2. The winner of that game will face the winner of Tennessee/Butler on Thanksgiving, losers of both games will also square off on that Thursday.
The Battle 4 Atlantis field also includes defending National Champion and future Big 12 foe, Kansas, on the other side of the bracket.
#BYU plays South Dakota at the Vivint Arena on December 3.
The Coyotes have a high-powered offense led by a 20 ppg scorer in A.J. Plitzuweit. #BYUHoops @kslsports
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 7, 2022
Following a trip to the Bahamas, BYU hosts Westminster and then the South Dakota Coyotes at the Vivint Arena. The Coyotes have a prolific offense led by 20-points-per-game scorer A.J. Plitzuweit.
Revenge opportunities
BYU will probably have revenge on their mind in the middle of December. On December 7, BYU hosts Utah Valley in the “Crosstown Clash.” Last year, the Wolverines, led by Fardaws Aimaq, upset BYU when the Cougars were ranked No. 12 in the country.
On December 10, BYU will have another revenge opportunity against the Creighton Bluejays. Creighton handled BYU at the Sanford Pentagon amid brutal weather conditions in South Dakota. This year’s game will be another neutral tilt, but the weather will probably be more friendly as the two teams square off in Las Vegas.
Creighton is viewed as a preseason top-10 team after they added South Dakota State transfer Baylor Scheierman in the offseason.
Rivalry games
A pair of in-state rivals travel to the Marriott Center over a five-day stretch before Christmas. First, Utah rolls into Provo on December 17, then Weber State on December 22. BYU has won the last two meetings against the Utes, and Weber State has never won in the Marriott Center.
One in-state team that isn’t on the schedule is Utah State. It’s the first time in 14 years that the BYU and Aggies aren’t squaring off in the non-conference.
BYU opens up WCC play on December 29 on the road at Pacific.
BYU Basketball Non-Conference Schedule 2022-23 Season
Nov 2: Ottawa (Ariz.) – Exhibition
Nov 7: Idaho State
Nov 11: at San Diego State
Nov 16: Missouri State
Nov 19: Nicholls State
Nov 23: vs. USC (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov 24: Tennessee/Butler (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov 25: Battle 4 Atlantis
Nov 29: Westminster (Vivint Arena)
Dec. 3: South Dakota (Vivint Arena)
Dec 7: UVU
Dec 10: vs. Creighton (Las Vegas)
Dec. 15: Western Oregon
Dec 17: Utah
Dec 20: Lindenwood
Dec 22: Weber State
BYU’s WCC Schedule
Dec 29: at Pacific
Dec 31: Portland
Jan. 5: at LMU
Jan 7: at San Diego
Jan 12: Gonzaga
Jan 14: Pepperdine
Jan 19: at Santa Clara
Jan 21: San Francisco
Jan 28: Saint Mary’s
Feb 2: LMU
Feb 4: Pacific
Feb 9: at Pepperdine
Feb 11: at Gonzaga
Feb 16: Santa Clara
Feb 18: at Saint Mary’s
Feb 25: San Francisco
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
