BYU Basketball Unveils Tip Times for Delta Center Showdowns—Which Game Holds the Biggest Surprise?

Basketball fans, buckle up—BYU’s preseason slate has thrown a curveball that’s as unexpected as a buzzer-beater. Originally penciled in for 7pm starts, the showdown with Wisconsin had to be bumped earlier to dodge a scheduling clash with the Utah Jazz pulling a surprise on November 21. Picture this: BYU was caught off guard, having been assured no Jazz game was slated that night. With the Delta Center juggling events before and after, shifting to a Friday afternoon tipoff emerged as the smartest move. Meanwhile, BYU’s exhibition tour includes a fresh face in North Carolina—a borderline top 25 preseason squad—setting the stage for a high-stakes warm-up before meeting Villanova in Vegas. And don’t overlook the Badgers—they’re back for a rematch of last year’s heart-stopping round of 32 clash in Denver, poised again as a prime Quad One challenge. It’s shaping up to be a rollercoaster lead-in to the season, and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. LEARN MORE

All three games were initially slated to be at 7pm according to the contracts, but the Wisconsin game had to be moved up due to a Utah Jazz game the same night. The Jazz game on November 21 was announced after BYU announced its game with Wisconsin, and sources tell me that came as a surprise — BYU was told ahead of time there would be no Jazz game that day. The Delta Center had conflicts with the Jazz and Mammoth before and after, so moving the game earlier to Friday afternoon was the most feasible option.

North Carolina will be BYU’s second exhibition after the October 18 game at Nebraska. The Tar Heels are expected to be a borderline preseason top 25 team and will be the final tuneup for BYU before the November 3 season opener versus Villanova in Vegas.

Wisconsin will be a rematch of last season’s thrilling round of 32 matchup in Denver. The Badgers are also expected to be a borderline preseason top 25 team and should be a Quad One game for BYU.