The date has been set for the Butler men’s basketball team’s arrival in the Big East as the 2013-2014 schedule was officially released Thursday afternoon.

The Bulldogs will kick off Big East play with a New Year’s Eve home game against Villanova on Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m.

Butler will play a total of 18 conference games this season, playing against each Big East opponent twice.

Another notable Big East match-up is a visit to Hinkle Fieldhouse from Marquette on Jan. 18, a rematch of Maui Invitational and NCAA Tournament games from last season.

The Bulldogs begin the regular season with a home game against Lamar on Nov. 9.

Butler will participate in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. during Thanksgiving break from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1. The Bulldogs will face Purdue in the third annual Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Dec. 14.

FOX Sports 1 will broadcast 16 Butler games this season as part of the Big East’s TV deal with the network.

The Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York begins March 12 with first round games and culminates with the Big East Championship Game on March 15.

2013-2014 Butler men’s basketball schedule

Games at Hinkle Fieldhouse in bold

All game times are Eastern.

Sat., Nov. 9 vs. Lamar, 4 p.m., FOX Sports 2

Sat., Nov. 16 vs. Princeton, 8 p.m., FOX Sports 2

Tue., Nov. 19 vs. Vanderbilt, 7 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat., Nov. 23 at Ball State, TBA

Thur., Nov. 28-Dec. 1 at Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., ESPN

Sat., Dec. 7 vs. North Dakota, 6 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Mon., Dec. 9 vs. Manchester, 8 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat., Dec. 14 vs. Purdue at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, CBS

Sat., Dec. 21 at Evansville, TBA

Sat., Dec. 28 vs. NJIT, 1 p.m., FOX Sports 2

Tue., Dec. 31 vs. Villanova, 7:30 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat., Jan. 4 at Xavier, 2 p.m., FSN

Thur., Jan. 9 vs. DePaul, 7 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat., Jan. 11 vs. Georgetown, 5 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Tue., Jan. 14 at Creighton, 9 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat., Jan. 18 vs. Marquette, TBA, CBS Sports Network

Tue., Jan. 21 at Providence, 9 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat. Jan. 25 vs. St. John’s, 4 p.m., FSN

Wed., Jan. 29 at Seton Hall, TBA, FOX Sports 1

Tue., Feb. 4 at Marquette, 9 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat., Feb. 8 at Georgetown, 1 p.m., CBS

Tue., Feb. 11 vs. Xavier, 9 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Thur., Feb. 13 vs. Creighton, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Tue., Feb. 18 at St. John’s, 9 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sun, Feb. 23 vs. Providence, 6 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Wed., Feb. 26 at Villanova, 8 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Thur., March 6 at DePaul, 7 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Sat., March 8 vs. Seton Hall, 5 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Wed., March 12 First round of Big East Tournament in New York