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UConn and URI will meet in a charity exhibition game at Mohegan Sun Arena

UConn and URI will meet in a charity exhibition game at Mohegan Sun Arena

Aug. 28 — UConn men’s basketball fans will get a preview of the 2024-25 team on Oct. 14 when the Huskies play Rhode Island in a charity exhibition contest at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The inaugural Basketball Hall of Fame induction game will feature coaches vs.

UConn coach Dan Hurley has strong ties to Rhode Island, where he spent six seasons (2012-2018) at the helm, posting a 113-82 overall record and earning two NCAA Tournament berths.

In his final season at Kingston in 2017-18, Hurley was named the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year after guiding the Rams to a regular season conference championship.

The start time for the exhibition game will be announced at a later date.

“Coaches vs. Cancer is a cause that means a lot to me, my family and our program, so it’s an honor to be able to support that organization with this game,” Hurley said in a released statement. “We can’t thank the Hall of Fame enough for doing this and for their continued support of the game.

“It will be a great opportunity for our fans to watch us in real game action for the first time, and also a great challenge as we continue to prepare for what we plan to be another special season. I have nothing but love and respect for Rhody and I can’t wait for him to compete with (coach) Archie (Miller) and his program.”

UConn, which won its second straight national championship in April, lost four of five starters from last season’s team, which went 37-3 overall and won the Big East regular season and league tournament titles. The Huskies will welcome five newcomers.

Under Miller, Rhode Island went 12-20 overall and 6-12 in the Atlantic 10 last season.

UConn owns a six-game winning streak in the series and a 77-68 overall advantage. The Huskies won the last meeting 87-76 on December 26, 2000 at the XL Center.

“There’s no better measuring stick than the two-time defending national champions,” Miller said. “To be able to play at a great place like Mohegan Sun while enjoying the Coaches vs. Cancer is a great way to start the season. We encourage as many Rhody fans as possible to come out and be a part of a special evening.”

The exhibition will conclude the Hall of Fame’s weekend festivities, which include the Class of 2024 Induction Ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 13, in Springfield.

Tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster on September 13th and at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office on September 14th.

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