BYU's first men's basketball schedule under head coach Kevin Young released

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PROVO — BYU's first men's basketball schedule under head coach Kevin Young was ready for the world Thursday afternoon, when the Big 12 revealed conference matchups for each team in the newly aligned 16-team conference that stretches across three time zones

Each Big 12 team will play five opponents home-and-away, five only at home, and five away for a 20-game conference schedule.

After a nonconference slate that includes seven home games, a neutral-site tournament in San Diego against Ole Miss and Purdue or North Carolina State, and a trip to Providence as part of the Big East-Big 12 Challenge, the Cougars will open Big 12 play Wednesday, Dec. 31 against Arizona State in what will be the first conference game between the two teams since 1978.

Perhaps the toughest stretch begins in late January. After a pair of home games Jan 25 and Jan. 28 against Cincinnati and Baylor, respectively, BYU faces a run of three of four games on the road beginning Feb. 1 at UCF. After hosting Arizona on Feb. 4, the Cougars then head east again Feb. 8 to Cincinnati and Feb. 11 at West Virginia before hosting Kansas State and Kansas on Feb. 15 and Feb. 18, respectively.

BYU will face Utah twice, a road matchup Jan. 18 at the Huntsman Center before the regular-season finale against the Utes on March 8 in Provo.

BYU women's basketball

Earlier Thursday, the Big 12 revealed the conference's 18-game slate for women's basketball, including a BYU squad led by third-year head coach Amber Whiting as it embarks on the second season in the league.

After a nonconference slate that includes games against reigning national runner-up Iowa and Rice in Cancun, Mexico, the Cougars will open Big 12 play Dec. 21 in the Marriott Center against Arizona.

BYU will play three opponents twice in Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, the latter of which includes a home tilt Jan. 25 followed by a visit to the Huntsman Center in the regular-season finale March 1.

Perhaps the toughest stretch is a four-game span to start February, when the Cougars will be on the road for three of four games beginning with a road tilt Feb. 1 at Arizona State. After a Feb. 5 home game against UCF, the Cougars will play back-to-back games in Texas Feb. 8 at Baylor and Feb. 11 at TCU before returning home to host Oklahoma State on Feb. 15.

"This schedule and every schedule in this conference is going to be a gauntlet," Whiting said. "We are going to go toe-to-toe with the best of the best, so we need to bring it every night out. That is what being one of the best conferences in the country is all about."

The Big 12 tournament tips off March 5 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Sean Walker

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KSL.com BYU and college sports reporter