A season-opening trip to California for the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic highlights a 30-game regular season schedule for the 2017-18 season.
Wayne State opens the season on Friday, Nov. 3 in Anaheim, Calif. and plays three games in three days against Young Harris College of Georgia, Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and Wisconsin-Parkside.
“Beginning the season in the Disney Tip-Off Tournament is a great opportunity for our program,” coach Chris Kielsmeier said. “This trip is an exempt trip that will give us three extra games to start the season.”
Following their opening trip to California, the Wildcats face in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney in Kearney on Saturday, Nov. 11, followed by a Monday, Nov. 13 road game at UC-Colorado Springs.
The Wildcats close out the nine game November schedule with four straight games in Rice Auditorium, starting with a Nov. 16 game vs. Graceland of Iowa. Wayne State opens Northern Sun Conference play against Augustana on Monday, Nov. 20 in a 6 p.m. contest. The Wildcats play two home games over Thanksgiving weekend, hosting Peru State on Friday, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. and UC-Colorado Springs on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m.
“The nine games in November are by far the most we have ever played in a month to open the season,” added Kielsmeier. “With having 10 returning players we wanted to challenge this group early in the season.”
Kielsmeier added, “It is really important for us to be playing well early in the season and I know our players understand this and welcome the challenge. Our non-conference schedule will provide us great competition to prepare us for the always-tough Northern Sun Conference.”
Five of Wayne State’s seven games in December are on the road, starting with Northern Sun Conference games at Minnesota State Friday, Dec. 1 and Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, Dec. 2. The Wildcats will be at home Dec. 8-9, hosting the University of Mary and Minot State respectively.
Wayne State concludes its’ pre-Christmas schedule with a Tuesday, Dec. 19 contest at Augustana, then closes out the December schedule with games on Saturday, Dec. 30 at Sioux Falls and Sunday, Dec. 31 at Southwest Minnesota State.
January’s schedule of eight games has six being played at home in Rice Auditorium, starting on Friday, Jan. 5 vs. Concordia-St. Paul and Saturday, Jan. 6 against Minnesota State.
The Wildcats hit the road for games on Jan. 12-13 at Northern State and MSU Moorhead, then return to Wayne for a four-game home stand to close out the month with contests against Winona State and Upper Iowa on Jan. 19-20 followed by St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth Jan. 26-27.
Wayne State opens February with their longest road trip of the year, venturing North for games against Bemidji State on Friday, Feb. 2 and Minnesota Crookston Saturday, Feb. 3. The final home regular season games are Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9-10 vs. Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. Wayne State concludes the regular season with games at Upper Iowa on Friday, Feb. 16 and Winona State Saturday, Feb. 17.
The opening round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 21 followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota February 25-27.
The NCAA Central Regional is scheduled for March 9, 10 and 12 with the NCAA Elite Eight set for March 20, 21 and 23 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
