MANILA, Philippines — The UAAP on Thursday revealed its first round schedule for the upcoming men’s and women’s basketball tournament for the league’s 85th season.
Hosted by Adamson University, the packed UAAP season will commence on October 1 with the basketball tournaments kicking things with the league returning to a full calendar schedule since 2019.
Opening weekend tips off with women’s hoops action, which makes its return to the collegiate league for the first time in three years.
A double-header between the Adamson Soaring Falcons and the UST Growling Tigers and the UP Fighting Maroons and the DLSU Green Archers get things going at the Mall of Asia Arena at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., respectively.
Then, their male counterparts clash in the same matchups in the afternoon at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Men’s defending champions UP thus face their first test of their title retention bid against last season’s third placers La Salle. It can be recalled that the Archers forced the Maroons to a rubber match in the Final Four, but the eventual champions prevailed.
On Sunday, women’s champs NU resume their quest for a seventh straight UAAP crown, now under new coach Aris Dimaunahan, as they face the UE Red Warriors in the first game of the day at 8 a.m.
The FEU Tamaraws then face the Ateneo Blue Eagles at 10 a.m. to wrap up women’s action for the weekend.
Like on Saturday, the same matchups will banner the men’s tournament in the afternoon with runners-up Ateneo kicking off their redemption season against the Tamaraws.
Of note that after playing the whole of UAAP Season 84 at the Mall of Asia Arena, the league will be using different venues for the first time since the pandemic started. Games are also set to take place at the Araneta Coliseum, PhilSports Arena in Pasig City and Ynares Sports Antipolo.
Meanwhile, Wednesday game days for the women’s side will be played at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion with a quadruple header happening for both men’s and women’s.
A notable play date for the men’s tournament will be on October 16 at the Mall of Arena as a finals rematch of last season between the UP Fighting Maroons and the Ateneo Blue Eagles highlight the day at 4:30 p.m.
The full schedules of the first round for the basketball tournament can be found on the league’s social media pages.
UAAP Season 85 will feature 60 events across 21 sports to mark a full blown calendar after UAAP Season 84 was done in a compressed format due to the pandemic.