- Complete schedule can be found HERE.
MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois head men's basketball coach Billy Wright, who is beginning his second season at the helm this year, announced the program's 2015-16 schedule Thursday (August 27) which features 13 regular season contests and one exhibition inside Western Hall.
The Leathernecks' upcoming slate also includes a total of six games against in-state programs, as well as two road matchups against two Big Ten opponents and one Big East school.
"This season we have put together a tough nonconference schedule where the majority of our opponents have postseason tournament experience, not to mention our league from top to bottom gets better and better each year," said coach Wright. "As our program takes the next step forward it was important to schedule teams that not only have postseason experience, but to also schedule teams that offer a good competitive balance."
After playing host to an exhibition contest against Knox College on Nov. 7, WIU begins regular season play at Wisconsin on Nov. 13. The Badgers, who set a program record last season with 36 wins, were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament a year ago before losing to the Duke Blue Devils in the 2015 National Championship.
Western then returns home for back-to-back games on Nov. 15 and 17 against Hannibal-LaGrange and UIC before traveling across the state to open its home-and-home series with Eastern Illinois on Nov. 21.
The month of November concludes with Trinity Christian College visiting Macomb on the 25th, and Western traveling to Omaha to face Big East member Creighton on the 28th.
Prior to Summit League play opening in 2016, the Leathernecks have five final nonconference games in December. Western and Silver Lake College will play inside Western Hall on Dec. 2 before the Leathernecks head to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes on Dec. 7. Iowa finished last season near the top of the Big Ten standings with a 12-6 conference mark.
On Dec. 12 the EIU Panthers journey to Macomb to battle WIU, concluding the two teams' home-and-home series. Western then faces two more in-state foes on the road in Chicago State (Dec. 19) and Loyola (Dec. 21).
Summit League action begins on Jan. 1 at Omaha. The Mavericks have completed their transition to NCAA Division I and are now eligible to participate in the Summit League Tournament in March. Two days later on Jan. 3 the Leathernecks travel to Brookings to face the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.
WIU's first three-game homestand kicks off with IUPUI on Jan. 9, and concludes with Denver (Jan. 14) and Oral Roberts (Jan. 16) coming to town the following weekend.
A second trip to the state of South Dakota comes on Jan. 20 when WIU heads to Vermillion to face the Coyotes. Three days later on Jan. 23 the Summit League's defending champions, the North Dakota State Bison, come to Macomb.
The month of January wraps up and the second round of league play begins in Indiana for the Leathernecks. Western plays at IUPUI on Jan. 29 and at Fort Wayne on Jan. 31.
WIU faces Omaha at home on Feb. 3 before hitting the road for three consecutive games. Western plays at Denver (Feb. 11), at Oral Roberts (Fen. 13) and finishes its road trip at NDSU (Feb. 17).
The Leathernecks then play host to South Dakota State (Feb. 20), Fort Wayne (Feb. 25) and South Dakota (Feb. 27) to conclude the regular season.
The top eight teams from The Summit League will then battle for a spot in the NCAA Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. March 5-8 in the 2016 Summit League Championships.
"Equally important was finding road games vs in-state opponents and opponents within driving distance to give our former players, alumni, and fans an opportunity to show their support on the road as well as at home. This schedule will definitely prepare us for league play, and ultimately that's what you want out of your nonconference schedule," concluded Wright.
