Confirming a story originally reported by The Juice Online on Sunday, Villanova and Syracuse announced a home-and-home men’s basketball series over the next two seasons on Friday.
Syracuse will host Villanova at the Carrier Dome on Dec. 28, 2013. The Orange will then travel to the Wells Fargo Center in the 2014-15 season.
Sources told The Juice Online a third game on a neutral court was being eyed for the 2015-16 season and no reference was made to that in the release. But the game could be announced down the road as part of a deal with MSG closer to that season.
“The Villanova rivalry has given us some of our best moments,” said Syracuse Director of Athletics Daryl Gross in a release. “It has traditionally been one of the top matchups in college basketball and we look forward to continuing the series.”
» Related: Syracuse to play Indiana in non-conference play
It will be a daunting non-conference schedule for Syracuse in the 2013-14 season. Earlier in the week, ESPN announced that Syracuse would be playing Indiana in the Big 10/ACC Challenge on Dec. 3. On top of these two games, the Orange will be playing in the Maui Invitational and will have a date at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 15, 2013 against St. John’s.
“We are excited to announce the continuation of the Villanova-Syracuse rivalry,” stated Villanova Director of Athletics Vince Nicastro. “Our annual games against Syracuse were an integral part of our basketball schedule over the past 30-plus years, and included some of the greatest college basketball experiences in the nation. We are thrilled to be able to continue that for the next two years.”
Syracuse holds a 38-32 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams, and the teams split their two games in the 2012-13 season.
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