UConn will be tested early and often during the 2021-22 Big East men's basketball season.

After hosting Providence in their league opener on Dec. 18, the Huskies will play five out of their next seven games on the road starting with trips to Marquette (Dec. 21) and Xavier (Dec. 28).

The Big East released its schedule on Thursday. Each team has 20 league games — 10 home and 10 away. Game times and locations will be announced sometime in the next few weeks

The Huskies return a deep and experienced team that is expected to contend for the Big East regular-season championship. In their first season back in the league last year, they went 15-8 overall, placed third in the Big East at 11-6 and qualified for the NCAA tournament.

They'll begin 2022 by hosting Butler on New Year's Day.

Perhaps the toughest stretch for UConn is in early February when it hosts Creighton Feb. 1, visits defending regular-season champ Villanova Feb. 5, hosts Marquette Feb. 8, and then visits St. John's Feb. 13. The Huskies follow that up with three straight home games against Seton Hall (Feb. 16), Xavier (Feb. 19) and Villanova (Feb. 22).

After road trips to Georgetown (Feb. 27), the defending Big East tournament champion, and Creighton (March 2), UConn finishes the regular season by hosting DePaul on March 5.

The Big East tournament will be held for the 40th straight season at Madison Square Garden in New York from March 9-12.

g.keefe@theday.com