Gophers Basketball Headed To Providence For Gavitt Games

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – For the second straight year, the University of Minnesota men's basketball team will play in the Gavitt Games.

The event features teams from the Big Ten against the Big East in early-season match-ups. Last year, the Gophers hosted St. John's of New York and earned a 92-86 victory.

This year, Richard Pitino and the Gophers head east to face Providence. The game will be Nov. 13, and will be broadcast on FS1. The game time has not been determined.

Pitino is a graduate of Providence. It will be the third time the Gophers have faced the Friars. Minnesota last played Providence in the 1992 Maui Invitational, an 89-82 victory.

Minnesota has high expectations for the 2017-18 season, coming off a 24-10 year and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance under Pitino. The Gophers return four starters and virtually every player that saw significant minutes on the season. Minnesota finished fourth in the Big Ten last season.

In other match-ups, Purdue faces Marquette, Maryland hosts Butler, Northwestern hosts Creighton, Indiana heads to Seton Hall, St. John's hosts Nebraska, Wisconsin hosts Xavier and Illinoi hosts DePaul.