Washington’s men’s basketball calendar is set, and the Huskies now know exactly what the 2026-27 season will look like after the Big Ten released its full conference schedule on Wednesday.
The non-conference slate had already been announced last month, but the rest of the road map is now in place. UW will get things started with an exhibition against WSU on Oct. 25, then open the regular season at home against Colgate on Nov. 2.
The biggest draw outside league play comes late in November, when the Huskies head to the Maui Invitational from Nov. 23-25. It marks only Washington’s second trip to the storied Thanksgiving-week event, with the program’s previous appearance coming in 2010.
The bracket sets up an opening game against BYU, with Clemson or Mississippi waiting next. From there, UW’s third and final game in Hawaii will come against one of four possible opponents: Arizona, Colorado State, Providence or Virginia Commonwealth.
Washington’s Big Ten slate begins on the road at USC on Dec. 2, and the conference home opener arrives 11 days later against UCLA on Dec. 13.
One of the marquee non-conference games lands on Dec. 19, when Baylor visits Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.
Once January hits, the Huskies get a brutal stretch right away, with back-to-back road games at defending national champion Michigan on Jan. 2 and at Michigan State on Jan. 5.
At home, the most notable Big Ten dates include a Feb. 23 matchup with Illinois, a 2026 Final Four team, followed by Purdue coming to town on Feb. 27.
The Big Ten Tournament is scheduled for March 9-14 in Indianapolis.
Washington enters its third season in the 18-team Big Ten with a roster that looks very different from last year’s group, which finished 16-17 overall and 7-13 in conference play. The Huskies are expected to bring in six transfers: forward LeJuan Watts from Texas Tech, point guard Ryan Beasley from San Francisco, guard Tayshawn Comer from Nevada, guard Parker Friedrichsen from Davidson, guard Steele Venters from Gonzaga and guard Harun Zrno from Rutgers.
In Other News...
Washington Fans Can Finally Map Out A Big Ten Season That Ends Big
The Big Ten has finally given Washington mens basketball fans something concrete to circle for 2026-27, releasing the Huskies conference schedule with dates and opponents for every league matchup. It is the first full roadmap of what the Huskies will face in their second season of Big Ten play, and it comes with the kind of symmetry coaches and fans alike can appreciate.
Washington will spend the league slate going back and forth across the conference footprint, with the dates now set from opening night through the final stretch. The late-season picture is especially interesting because the Huskies finish at home in a matchup that should carry plenty of weight when the standings tighten, giving their regular-season finale a built-in edge even before the rest of the schedule is sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Needs To Look Like It Belongs Before Big Ten Play
Washingtons two wins have been enough to keep the record clean, but not enough to keep the Huskies in the Top 25. After shaky performances against Washington State and Utah State, the conversation around this team has shifted from poll position to appearance, with one more nonconference game left to sharpen things up before Big Ten play begins.
Eastern Washington comes to town having just lost to South Dakota, so this should be the last low-stress checkpoint on Washingtons schedule for a while. The bigger issue is whether the Huskies can put together a convincing showing while dealing with key injuries, because the next step in this season is a lot less forgiving than the first two. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Offensive Line Problems Have One Huskies Leader Stepping Up
Washingtons offensive line has been leaning on a lot of young pieces, and the early returns have left room for improvement as the Huskies get ready for Eastern Washington in a non-conference matchup. With Big Ten scheduling once again drawing debate about opponent strength and how it fits into College Football Playoff conversations, Washington is trying to steady one of the most important parts of its roster before the schedule gets any harder.
John Mills has been one of the voices pushing that reset, with the units underperformance falling on his shoulders as the group looks to clean up its play. Across campus, Washington also made a basketball staff addition, bringing longtime Oregon assistant Mike Mennenga onto Danny Sprinkles staff, a move that adds another familiar name to the programs broader offseason reshaping. [Read more 🡒]