Schedule is out as #Big12MBB looks to win SEC/Big 12 Challenge for 4th straight year. https://t.co/sSusyV7rJW pic.twitter.com/HPlYx2JNRn

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) May 24, 2016

A year ago, West Virginia didn’t play a non-conference home game against a major conference team for the first time since the 2008-09 season. It was a truly questionable slate that was ultimately irrelevant because the Mountaineers didn’t need the strength of their opposition outside the Big 12 to make the NCAA tournament.

This year is going to be different, and WVU will play host to the Aggies in the annual interconference invitational. Texas A&M lost four starters and its top two scorers and three of its top four from last season’s Sweet Sixteen squad but still finds a place in some preliminary preseason top 25s.

The matchup helps the Mountaineers because they will play at Virginia on Dec. 3 this season.