Providence and Rhode Island Gear Up for Tip‑Off at Mohegan Sun
The Basketball Hall of Fame Tip‑Off will open its 2026‑27 season at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, where the Providence Friars will meet the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Rhode Island Rams will take on the Monmouth Hawks on November 7. Ticket sales are slated to begin on September 11, though game times have yet to be released.
Providence’s coach Bryan Hodgson praised the venue, calling it a first‑class event organized by the Hall of Fame, while Rhode Island’s Archie Miller noted it will be the third time his team has played at the arena in his five seasons.
A Test Against the Cornhuskers
Nebraska arrives with momentum after a Sweet 16 run last March, a 20‑0 start and a program shaped by Fred Hoiberg, who has guided the Cornhuskers to the Sweet 16 in two of his last three seasons.
The Friars, who split two games at Mohegan Sun last year, are looking to break a streak of early‑season tests; they fell in overtime to Virginia Tech and beat Penn State, but lost to St. Bonaventure, Miami and Saint Louis in recent campaigns.
A Broader Non‑Conference Challenge
Rhode Island is preparing for a demanding non‑conference slate that includes a Thanksgiving trip to the Maui Invitational, where they will face Arizona, BYU, Clemson, Colorado State, Mississippi, Virginia Commonwealth and Washington.
The Rams have already tasted success at the venue, having beaten South Florida and San Francisco in a COVID‑19‑restricted bubble in 2020‑21, and they hope to add a first win at Mohegan Sun since that tournament.
Both teams see the early games as a gauge for postseason aspirations; Providence aims to return to meaningful postseason play after missing the last three editions, while URI hopes to finally break through for its first victory at the arena.