VCU will host Memphis and Temple at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in December, and will take on an ESPN Events Invitational field that includes six NCAA Tournament teams as part of a slate of non-conference games announced Thursday.
VCU’s 13-game non-conference schedule for the 2023-2024 season includes the potential for as many as four games against 2023 NCAA Tournament squads, including Final Four qualifier Florida Atlantic.
In all, nine of the Rams’ potential 2023-2024 opponents qualified for the postseason in 2022-23. Seven of those schools ranked within the top 75 of the NCAA NET rankings last year.
VCU will tip off a new era under coach Ryan Odom on Monday, Nov. 6, when the Rams host McNeese State at the Siegel Center. VCU will open its 2023-2024 campaign with four straight home contests overall, as Samford (Nov. 10), in-state foe Radford (Nov. 15) and Seattle (Nov. 18) will also come calling.
All three of those programs posted 20-win campaigns last season and are expected to compete for a championship in their leagues in 2023-2024.
VCU will meet a loaded field at the previously announced ESPN Events Invitational (Nov. 23-24, 26) at the Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. The Rams will play three games against a bracket that includes NCAA Tournament squads FAU, Penn State, Iowa State, Texas A&M and Boise State, as well as NIT participant Virginia Tech and Butler.
Matchups for the tournament will be released at a later date.
The Rams will return from Thanksgiving to close out their non-conference schedule with six consecutive games at the Siegel Center.
VCU will face Norfolk State on Dec. 1. The Spartans have won 20-plus games each of the past two seasons and reached the NCAA Tournament in both 2021 and 2022.
On Dec. 6, the Rams will welcome Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers in one of the more anticipated Siegel Center tilts in the building’s 24-year history.
Memphis, coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance and a 26-win campaign, finished last season rated 22nd in the NCAA’s NET rankings and was voted 24th in the Final Associated Press Top-25 Poll of the 2022-23 season.
On Dec. 10, VCU will host SWAC regular-season champion and NIT participant Alcorn State, followed by a visit from former Atlantic 10 Conference rival Temple on Dec. 16.
The Rams will wrap up 2023 with contests at the Siegel Center against Maryland-Eastern Shore (Dec. 22) and Gardner-Webb (Dec. 30).
VCU, set to embark on its first season under Odom, is the defending A-10 regular season and tournament champions. The Rams have reached the NCAA Tournament 13 times since 2004.
Season tickets are on sale now and can be reserved by visiting VCUAthletics.com/tickets or by calling 804-828-RAMS.
Additional game times and television information will be released in the coming weeks.
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Chris Graham
