The start of the 2018-19 college basketball season is rapidly approaching, and the path for Villanova’s title defense is coming into view as the school has announced the dates for the 13 non-conference games.

The Cats will start the season with what amount to two warmup games when they host Morgan St. to open the season on November 6, followed by another home game against Quinnipiac on November 10.

Next up will be the first marquee matchup of the season, as Nova hosts Michigan in a National Championship game rematch on November 14.

On November 17 the Cats will host Furman before heading to Orlando for the Thanksgiving holiday where they will participate in the AdvoCare Invitational. Nova opens that tournament on November 22 against Canisius, and if they win they would get the winner of Memphis/Oklahoma St. the following day. The title game will be played on November 25.

On Saturday December 1 the Cats return to Philadelphia to kick off Big 5 play against La Salle at the Palestra. They will round out the Big 5 schedule over the next three games with home dates against Temple (Dec. 5) and St. Joe’s (Dec. 8) before wrapping up at Penn on December 11.

Next up comes a huge matchup and Final Four rematch when Villanova travels to Kansas on December 15.

The non-conference wraps up on December 22, when Nova takes on UConn at Madison Square Garden.

In addition, the annual Blue/White Scrimmage will take place on Saturday, October 13.

Clearly the two Final Four rematches jump off the page at you, and I’ve unsuccessfully tried to find out how many times a national champion has played both of its Final Four opponents the following season, but I have to believe it’s a rare occurrence.

Here’s the full non-conference schedule in list form.

Saturday, Oct. 13: BLUE/WHITE SCRIMMAGE

Tuesday, Nov. 6: vs. MORGAN STATE

Saturday, Nov. 10: vs. QUINNIPIAC

Wednesday, Nov. 14 vs. MICHIGAN

Saturday, Nov. 17 vs. FURMAN (Advocare Invitational Preliminary)

Thursday, Nov. 22 vs. Canisius (Advocare Invitational, Orlando, Fla.)

Friday, Nov. 23 vs. Memphis/Oklahoma State (Advocare Invitational, Orlando, Fla.)

Sunday, Nov. 25 vs. TBD (Advocare Invitational, Orlando, Fla.)

Saturday, Dec. 1 at La Salle (at Palestra, Philadelphia, Pa.)

Wednesday, Dec. 5 vs. TEMPLE

Saturday, Dec. 8 vs. SAINT JOSEPH’S

Tuesday, Dec. 11 at Penn

Saturday, Dec. 15 at Kansas

Saturday, Dec. 22 vs. Connecticut (Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.)

Locations for the home games will be released with the full schedule following Labor Day.