RICHMOND, Va. – VCU could face as many as five NCAA Tournament teams from last season, and tall tests await in the Bahamas, Raleigh, N.C. and Fort Worth, Texas, as part of the Rams' 2025-26 non-conference schedule, released Wednesday.
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In all, a total of six potential VCU opponents – 2025 Mountain West Tournament Champion Colorado State, New Mexico, St. Mary's (Calif.), Vanderbilt, Utah State and reigning Patriot League champ American reached the "Big Dance" last season.
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VCU will officially kick off its 57
th season, and the first of the Head Coach Phil Martelli Jr. era, when it hosts Wagner on Monday, Nov. 3 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.
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The Rams will also play host to St. Peter's (Nov. 12), Samford (Dec. 5), New Mexico (Dec. 10), Niagara (Dec. 15), American (Dec. 18) and Rider (Dec. 22) at the Siegel Center. The Dec. 10 match-up against defending Mountain West regular season Champion New Mexico is the return engagement for a home-and-home series that began last season in Albuquerque, N.M. The Lobos edged the Black & Gold 78-71 in a highly competitive contest.
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VCU's road schedule is chock full of NCAA-resume building opportunities. The Rams will face off with Utah State on Nov. 7 in a neutral-site match-up in Fort Worth, Texas. The Aggies finished 26-8 last season and have reached the past three NCAA Tournaments.
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On Nov. 17, the Rams will travel to Raleigh, N.C. to begin a home-and-home series with N.C. State, led by former VCU Coach Will Wade. It will be the first meeting between the two programs. Wade, who led the Rams to a 51-20 record and two NCAA Tournaments from 2015-17, and the Wolfpack will return the game at the Siegel Center in 2026-27.
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VCU will return to the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas Nov. 26-28, where it will play three games against a field of NCAA Tournament hopefuls. The Rams will open the tournament on Nov. 26 against former Sun Belt rival South Florida in a contest that will air on ESPN2. The Rams and Bulls last met in the semifinals of the 2024 Postseason NIT. A match-up with either Vanderbilt or Western Kentucky awaits on Nov. 27. Potential opponents on Nov. 28 include St. Mary's, Colorado State, Virginia Tech and Wichita State. This will be the Rams' fourth all-time appearance at the prestigious Battle 4 Atlantis.
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VCU's 2025-26 slate will also include a pair of exhibition contests at Villanova (Oct. 19) and against Fairfield (Oct. 26) at the Siegel Center.
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Game times and additional TV info will be released at a later date. The Atlantic 10 Conference will release its full 2025-26 league slate in the coming weeks.
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VCU Men's Basketball tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased by calling 804-828-RAMS or by visiting
vcutickets.evenue.net/events/MBKST.
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VCU captured its second Atlantic 10 Conference Championship in three years and reached its 14
th NCAA Tournament since 2004 last season. The 2025-26 Rams, led by Martelli, welcome five returnees and nine newcomers this year.
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VCU Atlantic 10 Conference pairings for 2025-26 (Game dates and times TBA)
Home & Away: Dayton, Fordham, George Mason, Richmond, Saint Louis
Home only: George Washington, Loyola Chicago, St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's
Away only: Davidson, Duquesne, La Salle, Rhode Island
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2025-26 VCU MEN'S BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Date            Opponent                                               TV                              Time
Oct. 19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Villanova (Exhibition)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5 p.m.
Oct. 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FAIRFIELD (Exhibition)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Nov. 3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â WAGNERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Nov. 7          %vs. Utah State                                                                          TBA
Nov. 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â SAINT PETER'SÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Nov. 17        at N.C. State                                                                                TBA
Nov. 22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â COPPIN STATEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Nov. 26        !vs. South Florida                                    ESPN2                 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 27        !vs. Vanderbilt/Wester Kentucky           ESPN/2/+                    TBD
Nov. 28Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â !vs. TBDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ESPN/2/+Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBD
Dec. 5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â SAMFORDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Dec. 10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NEW MEXICOÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Dec. 15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NIAGARAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Dec. 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AMERICANÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
Dec. 22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â RIDERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA
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Home games in
BOLD and played at the Stuart C. Siegel Center
! – Battle 4 Atlantis (Nassau, Bahamas)
% - Texas Showcase (Fort Worth, Texas)
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