BYU Basketball Will Reportedly Face ACC Team At Madison Square Garden
May 5, 2025, 2:51 PM | Updated: 2:53 pm
BYU basketball will reportedly play a nonconference game at Madison Square Garden during the 2025-26 season. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball will reportedly play in basketball’s “Mecca” next season.
According to College Basketball Insider Jon Rothstein, BYU will play the Clemson Tigers in a doubleheader in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, December 9.
Report: BYU Basketball vs. Clemson at Madison Square Garden
The other game in the doubleheader is UConn facing the defending National Champion Florida Gators.
NEWS: UConn will play Florida and BYU will face Clemson in the 2025 Jimmy V Classic at MSG, according to multiple sources.https://t.co/ChYOF8slez
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 5, 2025
None of the programs in the reported doubleheader have officially announced the matchups.
Last season, Clemson finished with an 18-2 record and a second-place finish in the ACC. The Tigers earned a 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling to McNeese State in the first round.
Clemson extended their head coach, Brad Brownell, to a contract extension through the 2031 season this offseason.
BYU’s history against Clemson
The last time BYU basketball faced Clemson was in the 1990 NCAA Tournament, a game BYU lost 49-47.
Clemson leads the all-time series against BYU 2-0, with both meetings occurring in the NCAA Tournament.
The reported game would be BYU’s first visit to Madison Square Garden since 2016, when they faced Valparaiso in the NIT Semifinals.
Jimmy V Classic is an event named after former National Champion coach Jim Valvano. It raises funds for cancer research.
Building the nonconference schedule
BYU will open the 2025-26 season on November 3 against Villanova in Las Vegas. The Cougars are reported to have a multi-team event (MTE) in Orlando that is expected to include Georgetown, Miami, and Dayton.
BYU officially announces next year’s season opener in Las Vegas against Villanova. pic.twitter.com/MoQHebPMgA
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 2, 2025
BYU is projected as one of the top teams in college hoops next season, with First Team All-Big 12 performer Richie Saunders announcing his return for a fourth season. Then BYU adds No. 1 recruit AJ Dybantsa, who arrived on campus last week, and Baylor transfer guard Rob Wright III.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
