KU, Villanova announce future hoops series

By Matt Tait     Nov 27, 2017

Nick Krug
Kansas forward Perry Ellis (34) has a shot contested by Villanova forward Daniel Ochefu (23) during the second half, Saturday, March 26, 2016 at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

When the two programs met up in the Elite Eight in 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky, it was clear they were among two of the absolute best in college basketball.

But thanks to a Monday morning announcement from both schools, hoops fans no longer have to hope for a showdown in the NCAA Tournament to see the two schools on the same floor.

Kansas and Villanova announced Monday the creation of a two-year series that will pit the Jayhawks against the Wildcats, first in Lawrence in 2018 and again in Philadelphia in 2019.

The Jayhawks and Wildcats will play Dec. 15, 2018, in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, and Dec. 21, 2019, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

The Kansas-Villanova series dates back to 1968 and is tied at 3. Four of the six meetings have taken place on neutral floors. KU and Villanova also played a home-and-home series in 2004 and 2005, with both teams winning on their home floors.

The complete 2018-19 KU non-conference schedule will be released after the current season, but the following games already have been announced:

Nov. 6 – Michigan State (Champions Classic), Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.

Nov. 21 & 23 – NIT (Marquette, Tennessee, Louisville), Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dec. 1 – vs. Stanford at Allen Fieldhouse

Dec. 15 – vs. Villanova at Allen Fieldhouse

Dec. 22 – at Arizona State, Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe, Ariz.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.