2023 Gavitt Games: Xavier-Purdue, Marquette-Illinois Highlight Top Matchups

John Fanta

College Basketball broadcaster and reporter

The matchups for the 2023 Gavitt Games have been announced.

The conference challenge between the Big Ten and Big East that began in 2015 in honor of Big East founding commissioner and Basketball Hall of Famer Dave Gavitt enters its eighth season with the Big Ten leading the series, 3-1- 3.

The 2023 edition of the Gavitt Games marks the final installment of the challenge between the two leagues under the first contract, which was created in 2015.

The promotion starts on November 13 and ends on November 17, with all games airing on FS1.

Here’s the full slate:

This series marks the first conference challenge on the college basketball calendar, with the games taking place in the second week of the season. The early resume opportunity and buzz it created has been productive for the sport, and it’s a good benchmark for programs ahead of their multi-team events during Thanksgiving week.

Here’s a look at where the 2023 Gavitt Game matchups rank, 1-8:

1. Xavier bee Purdue

This could be a top-25 showdown. With reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey likely to return to the Boilermakers for his final season, Purdue will be a legitimate national title contender. The first major test of their campaign against a Sean Miller-coached Xavier program that reached the Sweet 16 a year ago is buzz-worthy. The Musketeers have lost several key pieces of the NCAA Tournament team from that second weekend and a revamped backcourt with transfers Dayvion McKnight and Quincy Olivari faces a big task at Mackey Arena. Purdue’s sophomore duo of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer will look to continue their strong debut season, while the intriguing matchup in it will feature Xavier fifth-year senior and former All-Big East selection Zach Freemantle attempting to stop the best player in the country , Eddie. Grab your popcorn.

2. Marquette bee Illinois

After a 29-win season that saw the Big East regular season and tournament championships won, Shaka Smart’s Golden Eagles will fly under the radar from last season to have a solid target on their backs this season. It’s never easy to get to the State Farm Center, especially in the second week of the season. The intrigue on the other side of this matchup is that it’s hard to know exactly what Illinois will be next season. The big question: Will All-Big Ten selection Terrence Shannon Jr. return after testing the NBA Draft waters? Shannon hangs around that projection from the beginning to the middle of the second round, which means he has an interesting choice to make. Last year, he averaged 17 points, five rebounds and three assists per game. When he’s back in the herd, it’s a nice thought of Shannon meeting reigning Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek. The interior matchup between Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro and the Illini’s Dain Dainja also highlights this game. The question for the Illini: What exactly does their supporting cast of Sencire Harris, Luke Goode, and transfer Quincy Guerrier look like? We get an early answer in this confrontation.

3. Maryland bee Villanova

Going on record now: I believe this will end up being the best game of the series. Maryland has a top-25 team, and Kevin Willard’s freshman year at College Park couldn’t have gone better. Meanwhile, Kyle Neptune and his staff are under pressure to lead Villanova to a recovery season after the program missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. That said, the Wildcats have star guard Justin Moore and big man Eric Dixon back. This matchup has a dramatic layer with Villanova transfer Hakim Hart facing his former team. The Terrapins are in for a big year as All-Big Ten point guard Jahmir Young returns to lead the way, while Donta Scott and Julian Reese will attack one of the best frontcourts in the Big Ten. Willard is more than familiar with Villanova, with whom he fought and formed a rivalry in his 12 seasons at Seton Hall. Will the Terps match their strong start to last season and secure an important victory to set the tone for a high-anticipation campaign, or will Villanova show they are ready to return as one of the best in the Big East? This one should be fun.

4. Wisconsin bee Providence

These are two NCAA Tournament teams going into the season and there are several storylines surrounding them both. For the Friars, the home game against the Badgers will be the first big game of the Kim English Era. Amica Mutual Pavilion, whose season tickets for next year are already sold out, has become one of the hardest places to play for a visiting team, especially in recent seasons.

As for Greg Gard’s program, the Badgers are packed with returning experience, bringing back all five starters, four of whom scored in double digits last year. All-Big Ten guard Chucky Hepburn leads the way, while the front court duo of Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl will attack Wisconsin inland. Gard also made an important attack in the backcourt with St. John’s transfer AJ Storr. The matchup between Wahl and Bryce Hopkins should be fascinating to watch in this game. Hopkins, who transferred from Kentucky to Providence after his freshman year, is a legitimate Big East Player of the Year candidate heading into his junior season. English also retained dynamic two-way talent Devin Carter, as well as his backcourt mates Jayden Pierre and Corey Floyd Jr., among others. For two teams that could finish in the top 25 at certain points in the upcoming season, this game has no damage to either side and could be a first-to-60 type war. Expect physicality in Providence.

5. Michigan bee St John’s (MSG)

Will the Wolverines meet Rick Pitino’s Johnnies on a Monday night at Madison Square Garden? On brand name, tradition and location, it ticks all the boxes. If Michigan had been in a better place from a roster standpoint, this game would have been higher on the list. The Red Storm, on the other hand, is entering the program’s most anticipated season in decades. Pitino picked up reigning Ivy League Player of the Year Jordan Dingle (23.4 PPG last season), as well as a core of transfers to build himself around the perimeter. He has an All-Big East selection and one of the national doubles-doubles leaders (24) last season to storm the frontcourt with Joel Soriano. They will face a Michigan squad counting on Dug McDaniel making a sophomore jump and Jaelin Llewellyn returning from injury and putting it all together. Losing Caleb Love over academic standards certainly hurts the Wolverines, but Alabama transfer Nimari Burnett should help in the backcourt. Could Michigan be better than we expect? The early road test at MSG offers the Wolverines a chance to prove it, while the Johnnies should have an interested New York crowd ready to see if Pitino is, in fact, an immediate savior to the program.

6. Iowa bee Creighton

This showdown showcases two of the best offensive minds in college basketball as Fran McCaffery takes on Greg McDermott. It is the first meeting between the Hawkeyes and Bluejays since 2011, with the distance between the two schools being less than 250 miles. Creighton, who was just seconds from a Final Four in a heartbreaking loss to San Diego State last season, could be another top-15 selection. Baylor Scheierman is back on the wing, while point guard Steven Ashworth comes from Utah State to fill the void left by Ryan Nembhard. The big question for the Jays: Will Trey Alexander and Ryan Kalkbrenner return? As for the Hawkeyes, the run the Murray brothers have been on over the past few seasons has come to an end, with Kris following Keegan to the NBA. Iowa will depend on Tony Perkins, Payton Sandfort and Patrick McCaffery to take the lead, while Valparaiso transfer Ben Krikke (19.4 PPG last season) are the headliners. Expect the 3s to fly into Omaha for this Midwest showdown.

7. butler bee michigan state

The Spartans are a legitimate contender for the national championship with Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, Jaden Akins and Malik Hall back in the group. They should be a top-five preseason team next season. Walker turned into one of the sport’s top guards last season, coming on for Tom Izzo time and time again. He averaged 15 points per game, including a 23-point showing to hit a Sweet 16 ticket against Marquette. This should be an elite offense, and then you throw in the nation’s No. 4 recruiting class with five-star big man Xavier Booker, and the Spartans have a luxury of talent. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are coming off a 14-18 season in Thad Matta’s first year back on the sidelines. They got no favors in this draw. This matchup was supposed to be last year, but Michigan State faced Villanova instead. What it will provide is an early chance for Butler to show it has improved after a rough 2022-23 campaign. The main storyline for the Bulldogs: How does the transfer of St. John’s and former Big East Defensive Player of the Year Posh Alexander fit into the schedule? He is expected to lead the backcourt as he enters his senior year. Northeastern transfer Jahmyl Telfort and UC Irvine transfer DJ Davis are expected to play key roles in the perimeter. The Spartans will want to settle things against a Bulldogs team currently projecting as a bottom four team in the Big East.

8. Georgetown bee Rutgers

Ed Cooley faces his first road test as head coach of the Hoyas after one of the biggest offseason coaching shakeups in college basketball. Rutgers tends to be in a rebuilding season, having lost the standout duo of Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell and recently saw Cam Spencer enter the transfer portal. On the other hand, Georgetown has some unknowns heading into the upcoming season. Jersey Mike’s Arena (it will always be The RAC) is not an easy place for a visitor to play, and this game will give Illinois transfer Jayden Epps, Kansas State transfer Ismael Massoud and Cooley’s other signings their first taste of a road atmosphere . I would expect this matchup to be a defensive war, and it presents a confidence-building opportunity for two programs that could use it in the second week of what could be an up and down season.

John Fanta is a national basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as the lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.

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