Michigan, Villanova Reportedly Finalizing Home-and-Home Series Beginning with 2025-26 Game in Ann Arbor
May 31, 2025 — College basketball fans can circle a marquee non-conference matchup on their future calendars, as the Michigan Wolverines and Villanova Wildcats are reportedly finalizing a home-and-home series set to begin during the 2025–26 season.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the series would tip off at Michigan’s Crisler Center in Ann Arbor during the 2025–26 campaign, with the return game scheduled for the 2026–27 season at Villanova’s Finneran Pavilion in Pennsylvania. While official dates have not yet been announced, the agreement is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
This potential series would mark a reunion of two storied programs with recent NCAA Tournament history and national prominence. The two teams last met in the 2018 national championship game, where Villanova defeated Michigan 79–62 to secure the second of its two national titles under head coach Jay Wright. They also met in the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, with Villanova again emerging victorious.
Both programs have undergone significant changes in recent years. Michigan is currently led by head coach Dusty May, who took over the program in 2024 following the departure of Juwan Howard. May, formerly at Florida Atlantic, has brought a fresh energy to the Wolverines and is working to reestablish the program as a consistent NCAA Tournament contender.
Villanova, meanwhile, continues its transition under head coach Kyle Neptune, who succeeded the legendary Wright in 2022. After a couple of up-and-down seasons, Neptune’s squad has stabilized and looks poised to return to national relevance with a mix of experienced players and top recruits.
The addition of this home-and-home series will be a major scheduling highlight for both schools and a significant boost to each team’s non-conference résumé. It also reflects a broader trend in college basketball of top programs seeking out high-level, non-conference competition to improve NCAA Tournament seeding and enhance fan engagement.
For Michigan, hosting Villanova provides an early-season test and an opportunity to energize the fan base with a high-profile matchup at home. The Wolverines’ home schedule for the 2025–26 season already includes Big Ten opponents like Michigan State and Illinois, but Villanova adds a national power to the mix.
Villanova stands to benefit as well. The trip to Ann Arbor offers valuable experience for a team that will likely include several young players, and the return game in 2026–27 promises a packed house at the Finneran Pavilion, where the Wildcats have traditionally been dominant.
While neither school has formally announced the agreement, the discussions are reportedly in their final stages, and both athletic departments are expected to confirm the series in the near future.
If finalized, this home-and-home will give fans and analysts alike an early-season measuring stick for both programs and could serve as a preview of potential future postseason matchups. With both schools boasting rich basketball traditions and passionate fan bases, the Michigan-Villanova series promises to be one of the highlights of the next two seasons in college hoops.
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