Arizona will take advantage of a new NCAA rule allowing exhibitions against Division I opponents by hosting Saint Mary’s on Oct. 18 at McKale Center.

The exhibition game, which has been agreed to but not yet formally announced, will also return former Wildcat forward Paulius Murauskas back to McKale. Murauskas transferred to Saint Mary’s following the 2023-24 season and became the WCC’s Newcomer of the Year last season. 

Former Arizona forward Paulius Murauskas (23), shown playing for Saint Mary’s against Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles last season, will return to McKale Center for a UA-Saint Mary’s exhibition game on Oct. 18. (AP Photo/William Liang)

William Liang

Even though the game won’t count, Saint Mary’s is the second-highest-level nonconference opponent UA will host after Auburn next season. The Gaels, which finished 29-6 last season and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, were a frequent opponent of the Wildcats in closed scrimmages during the Sean Miller era.

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The Wildcats will also balance the preseason out by playing Embry-Riddle, a member of the NAIA Great Southwest Athletic Conference, on Oct. 27 for its second and final exhibition game.

Arizona will open its regular season against defending national champion Florida in Las Vegas on Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. Arizona time. The game is the first of a Hall of Fame doubleheader that will also feature BYU against Villanova at 7:30 p.m. Arizona time.

Arizona’s schedule for 2025-26:

Oct. 3 — Red-Blue Showcase (intrasquad scrimmage)Oct. 18 — Saint Mary’s (exhibition)Oct. 27 — Embry-Riddle (exhibition)Nov. 3 — Florida (at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas)Nov. 7 — Utah TechNov. 11 — NAUNov. 14 — UCLA (at Intuit Dome, Los Angeles)Nov. 19 — at UConnNov. 24 — Denver (Arizona MTE)Nov. 29* — Norfolk State (Arizona MTE)Dec. 6 — AuburnDec. 13 — Alabama (at Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Ala.)Dec. 16 — Abilene ChristianDec. 20 — San Diego State (at PHX Arena, Phoenix)Dec. 22 — Bethune-CookmanDec. 29 — South Dakota State**

** Agreed to but not yet under contract.

Arizona’s Big 12 schedule

(To begin Jan. 2 or later. Time and dates TBA)

CincinnatiIowa StateKansas StateOklahoma StateTexas TechWest VirginiaBYUASUKansasBaylorTCUUCFHoustonColoradoUtahBYUASUKansas

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