Before the #FridA10 matchups play out and the dust is shaken off the yearly conference rivalry games, programs must make their way through their non-conference schedule.
And for schools in mid-major conferences like the Atlantic 10, the non-conference schedule seems to hold more and more weight with every passing year, especially down the stretch when bracketologists are scrutinizing programs’ resumes and their ensuing chances, if any, of a postseason berth.
Not every school’s non-conference schedule is as strong as the next. A school like Dayton will play several Power-5 programs before it takes on an A-10 opponent, whereas a school like Fordham will play one Division II and two Division III programs before the end of November.
Nevertheless, despite the disparity across schedules, the non-conference slate is always intriguing, getting to see how schools hold up against often unfamiliar competition.
That said, here is each A-10 team’s most exciting non-conference matchup in 2025:
George Washington vs. Maine (Monday, November 3)
The Revolutionaries, who were chosen to finish in fourth place in the A-10 preseason poll, will open their season with a chance to take down a Black Bears team that was one win short of an America East Championship and NCAA Tournament berth last season.
Maine’s roster notably included freshman Ace Flagg, twin brother of first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg, and George Washington will compete against the former Mount Verde national champion to open up non-conference play.
Editor’s note: George Washington beat Maine, 67-47, on opening night.
Dayton at Cincinnati (Tuesday, November 11)
The Flyers’ matchup against the Bearcats will mark the first of five games against power-5 opponents during their non-conference slate – one that should hold weight with regard to Dayton’s resume come March when the program will look to make a return to the NCAA Tournament after a 2024-25 season that ended in an NIT appearance.
Cincinnati is not only a Big 12 team, but this matchup also brings to the limelight a former A-10 opponent Dayton has familiarity with in Jalen Haynes, who joined the Bearcats via the portal this offseason after two years with George Mason. Haynes dropped 12 points in a 67-59 Patriots win over the Flyers back in January, so this will give the program a chance to get some revenge on the former A-10 forward.
La Salle vs. Penn State (Saturday, November 15)
Not only does this matchup between La Salle and Penn State mark an exciting in-state battle, but it will also be played at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, home of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, which, in some ways, could be considered this year’s A-10 equivalent of UConn and St. John’s facing off at the storied Madison Square Garden.
The Nittany Lions have yet to make an NCAA Tournament appearance under the tutelage of head coach Mike Rhodes – who spent six seasons at VCU. Thus, this game will give a new-look Explorers team a chance to take on a Big Ten opponent vying for a postseason berth.
Duquesne at Villanova (Saturday, November 15)
Duquesne, in Dru Joyce III’s second year as head coach, will get an early test against a Villanova team headed for success under former Maryland head coach Kevin Willard. Like the Dukes, the Wildcats are also looking to find their way back to the postseason, with Duquesne having last made a trip in 2024 under Keith Dambrot and Villanova not since Jay Wright was last at the helm in 2022.
This game is the first of two straight matchups against A-10 teams for the Wildcats, as Villanova will go from hosting Duquesne to playing fellow Pennsylvania program La Salle at John E. Glaser Arena.
Saint Louis vs. Grand Canyon (Saturday, November 15)
Saint Louis may not be playing any power-5 programs this season, but the Billikens’ matchup against Grand Canyon may be one of the more exciting mid-major clashes of the 2025-26 season.
The Billikens enter the season ranked second in the A-10 preseason poll, and with a stalwart at forward like Robbie Avila, they will have a chance to make some traction in a competitive conference. GCU on the other hand, is coming off a season in which the Antelopes made their third-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and fourth trip in five years. That said, Saint Louis will be looking to bolster its resume with a victory against a Grand Canyon team that has become synonymous with the Big Dance as of late.
Loyola Chicago vs. Colorado State (Sunday, November 16)
Another program that has some recent NCAA Tournament history is Colorado State to its name, having made appearances in the past two postseason tournaments and in three of the last four, so Loyola Chicago will aim to take down the Rams early in their non-conference schedule.
The Ramblers were ranked fifth in the A-10 preseason poll and will look to finally get over the hump and reach the Big Dance for the first time since 2022 and first time since moving from the Missouri Valley Conference.
VCU at NC State (Monday, November 17)
Will Wade, who was VCU’s head coach from 2015 to 2017, has already played against his former school since leaving his post seven years ago. His LSU Tigers lost to the Rams in 2019, and his McNeese State Cowboys beat them in 2023 (though Wade was not on the sidelines during the ladder due to a suspension).
Now, Wade is entering his first season as head coach at NC State, and VCU will get another chance to knock off their former coach who traded the Siegel Center for the bright lights of the SEC following two NCAA Tournament appearances almost a decade ago.
The Rams were projected to finish first in the conference in the A-10 preseason poll, and will start the season with the program’s third head coach (Phil Martelli Jr.) in four seasons. They will take on an NC State team that made its last postseason berth in 2024.
Rhode Island at Yale (Tuesday, November 18)
Nothing like a clash between New England schools, especially when those two schools are around an hour and a half away from one another. Rhode Island will have a chance to play a Yale program that has become somewhat of a perennial NCAA Tournament and Ivy League championship team as of late.
The Rams have yet to fully get their feet under them in three years with Archie Miller at the helm – finishing 14th during the 2022-23 season and tied for 10th place in the conference the last two seasons – so this matchup against an annually competitive Bulldog team will present an opportunity to right the ship early heading into the back half of Rhode Island’s non-conference slate.
St. Bonaventure vs. UNC (Tuesday, November 25)
St. Bonaventure has undoubtedly received some national fanfare since last year when alumnus and former ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski took over as the program’s general manager. And this clash between the Bonnies and Tar Heels at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Fort Myers, Florida. might just be a direct result of that fanfare with St. Bonaventure scheduling a matchup against an ACC powerhouse like North Carolina in just year two of the new GM’s tenure.
With North Carolina ranked in the 2025 Associated Press top-25 preseason poll, this will give the Bonnies a chance to face some power-5 competition in an otherwise mid-major dominant first half of the season.
Richmond vs. Furman (Thursday, November 27)
Following five games at home to open up their non-conference schedule, the Spiders will travel to Kissimmee, Florida for the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational to take on a Paladins squad just three seasons removed from their first NCAA Tournament in 43 years. This will give Richmond a chance to take on a strong Southern Conference team that has some Spider-esque giant-killer victories under its belt, with the most recent one coming in 2023 in the Round of 64 against Virginia.
This game against Furman will mark Richmond’s second of three contests against SoCon opponents this season, as the Spiders take on VMI for the fourth-straight season on Nov. 19 and The Citadel on Dec. 20.
Fordham vs. Colgate (Sunday, November 30)
There’s nothing like a clash between two New York squads, and the Rams and Raiders will bring that in-state matchup to the forefront in this non-conference game – even though it will be played in Montreal, Québec.
Colgate is a team just two seasons removed from an NCAA Tournament berth, and thus, the Fordham Rams, who are under the tutelage of a new head coach in Mike Magpayo, will have the opportunity to take on a Raiders program regularly in contention for a Patriot League championship in the first month of play.
George Mason at Virginia Tech (Saturday, December 6)
George Mason versus Virginia Tech calls for another must-watch interstate contest.
The Patriots are coming off one of their most successful seasons in program history, falling just one game short of an NCAA Tournament berth in the A-10 championship game, while the Hokies haven’t finished better than eighth place in the ACC since the 2022-23 season. This could be an early test for a George Mason squad ready to build off the momentum last year brought and secure a postseason berth under Tony Skinn, who is entering his third season at the helm.
Saint Joseph’s at Syracuse (Thursday, December 11)
It’s not every day an A-10 team gets to play at the storied JMA Wireless Dome, formerly known as the Carrier Dome. And not only does Saint Joseph’s get to do just that, but the Hawks also get to take on a Syracuse team with one of the more exciting players of the college basketball campaign on its roster – Orange freshman Kiyan Anthony, son of NBA Hall-of-Famer and 2003 National Champion with Syracuse, Carmelo Anthony.
Much is up in the air with Saint Joseph’s as they enter the 2025-26 season with a new head coach and without two of their vital offensive threats from last year in Rasheer Fleming and Erik Reynolds III. This game against Syracuse, then, will serve as an opportunity to take down an Orange team still looking to return to national prominence since Jim Boeheim’s retirement.
Davidson at Kansas (Monday, December 22)
Davidson has done a commendable job on the scheduling front when it has come to their non-conference slate over the past couple seasons. The Wildcats took on Maryland and Clemson two seasons ago, ranked Arizona and Gonzaga teams last season and will now take on a Kansas team ranked 19th in the AP top-25 preseason poll.
The Wildcats have yet to return to the more frequent winning ways of former head coach Bob McKillop since he retired and handed the reigns over to his son, current head coach Matt McKillop, but in facing non-conference opponents like the Jayhawks, Davidson may just be on its way to reestablishing itself in a competitive A-10.
