Here is Marquette's 2023-24 schedule for defending its Big East basketball championship

The schedule for one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory for the Marquette men's basketball team is set.

The Big East released its conference schedule on Friday, with the Golden Eagles opening the 20-game slate in Providence on Dec. 19 and finishing against Xavier in Cincinnati on March 9. MU's first Big East game at Fiserv Forum will be against Georgetown on Dec. 22.

Times and TV information for the Big East games are expected next week.

Marquette is defending Big East champions

MU won both the Big East regular-season and tournament championships last season and is expected to be one of the top teams in the nation.

The Golden Eagles went 17-3 in the conference last season, losing road games to Providence, Xavier and eventual national champion Connecticut.

MU won't play the Huskies until Feb. 17 in Storrs, Connecticut, and then at Fiserv Forum on March 6.

The Golden Eagles will also get an early conference test at Fiserv Forum on Dec. 30 against Creighton. MU will then play the Bluejays, who are expected to be a challenger to MU along with Connecticut, on March 2 in Omaha, Nebraska.

MU has three sets of back-to-back road games. The Golden Eagles play against St. John's - and new head coach Rick Pitino - at Madison Square Garden in New York on Jan. 20, and then play at DePaul on Jan. 24. The Golden Eagles play at Villanova on Jan. 30 and at Georgetown on Feb. 3. Before playing Connecticut on Feb. 17, MU will travel to Indianapolis on Feb. 13.

In addition to a break over Christmas from Dec. 22-Dec. 30, MU will get a week off between its game at Georgetown on Feb. 3 and facing St. John's at Fiserv Forum on Feb. 10.

Marquette will play two closed-door scrimmages against Missouri and Michigan

The Golden Eagles have already put together a challenging non-conference slate, which includes games at Illinois and Wisconsin and the loaded Maui Invitational.

For the second straight season, MU will play two closed-door scrimmages instead of playing an exhibition game. According to sources, the Golden Eagles will scrimmage against Missouri in Chicago for the second straight season on Oct. 14. MU will also scrimmage against Michigan on Oct. 28 in Milwaukee.

Marquette's Big East schedule

Dec. 19: at Providence

Dec. 22: Georgetown

Dec. 30: Creighton

Jan. 6: at Seton Hall

Jan. 10: Butler

Jan. 15: Villanova

Jan. 20: at St. John's (Madison Square Garden)

Jan. 24: at DePaul

Jan. 27: Seton Hall

Jan. 30: at Villanova

Feb. 3: at Georgetown

Feb. 10: St. John's

Feb. 13: at Butler

Feb. 17: at Connecticut (Storrs)

Feb. 21: DePaul

Feb. 25: Xavier

Feb. 28: Providence

March 2: at Creighton

March 6: Connecticut

March 9: at Xavier

March 13-16: Big East tournament (Madison Square Garden)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Defending champ Marquette learns 2023-24 Big East basketball schedule