The Iona College men’s basketball team, which is preparing to win its fourth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title, released its schedule for the 2018-19 season in August.

Iona’s schedule is highlighted with non-conference games against VCU, Providence, Princeton and Holy Cross. The Gaels recently added a road game against New Mexico to the schedule. Iona will have rematches against Albany, Yale and Ohio.

Iona’s conference slate features the usual games against Siena, Manhattan, Niagara, Rider and Fairfield.

Here are a few takeaways from the Gaels’ current 27-game schedule.

Gaels will open the season at home

Iona will kick off the season against Albany at home on Nov. 9. It’s the first time the Gaels opened the season in New Rochelle since the 2014-15 season. The Gaels will take on Albany, who won last year’s season opening matchup 69-67. Albany will be without its top two scorers from last season, Joe Cremo and David Nichols. Cremo transferred to Villanova, while Nichols went to Florida State.

Iona leads the all-time series between the Great Danes 2-1. The Gaels are 9-2 when they play the first game of the season at home.

Biggest non-conference matchup: Providence

Arguably the biggest non-conference matchup for the Gaels this season will be against Providence on the road on Nov. 24. The Friars finished the season 21-14 and fell to Villanova in the Big East Championship game. Providence earned a 10th seed in the NCAA Tournament, but lost to Texas A&M in the first round.

Iona has only played Providence twice and won both games. The Gaels haven’t played Providence since 2009 when they defeated the Friars 82-73. If Iona wants to add an upset victory to its resume, this would be the perfect game to do it.

Gaels will return to Madison Square Garden

Iona will play in the Mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden, for the second year in a row. Iona will play against Columbia University on Dec. 9 as part of the MSG Holiday Festival. The Gaels lost to St. John’s 69-59 in the Garden last season.

The game is scheduled at a perfect time compared to last season, when Iona played the Red Storm while students were starting winter break. This game will take place on a Sunday and school will still be in session. To make things better, the day after the game is the last day of classes.

Iona will march into Draddy in February

Iona-Manhattan is the best rivalry in the MAAC. The Gaels will continue the rivalry when they travel into hostile territory to face the Jaspers on Feb. 22. Iona didn’t play in the Draddy Gymnasium last season, as the first game between the Gaels and the Jaspers took place in the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, while the second matchup was at home.

The Gaels have been impressive at Draddy, winning the last three games played there. Iona holds a 54-37 all-time record against the Jaspers.

MAAC Tournament will be held in Albany for the last time

After the regular season concludes, Iona will head up to the Times Union Center in Albany for the MAAC Conference Tournament. This will be the last time the tournament will be in Albany, as the conference announced in May that the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City will be the new location.

The tournament will take place at the Boardwalk Hall from 2020 to 2022 with Monmouth and Rider University serving as co-hosts. The new location shouldn’t affect Iona taking a student bus to the tournament. It’s a two hour and 23 minute drive from campus to Boardwalk Hall, while the drive to the Times Union Center is about two hours and 16 minutes.

Iona’s game against Princeton this season will be at the Boardwalk Hall on Dec. 15.

Be on the lookout for any updates made to the schedule, such as game times, dates and new opponents.