Wichita State opens MVC basketball schedule at Drake
The Missouri Valley Conference leaves no doubt which teams it expects to contend for the regular-season men’s basketball title.
Wichita State, the defending champion, faces Northern Iowa in the regular-season finale on Feb. 28 at Koch Arena. The MVC sets attractive TV matchups for the final day and the Shockers and Panthers should produce a compelling game.
WSU announced its MVC schedule on Thursday. The Shockers, who went 18-0 in the MVC last season and won the conference tournament, open conference play at Drake on Dec. 31, just a few days after they return from a Dec. 25 game in Hawaii in the Diamond Head Classic. WSU then plays three of its next four games at Koch Arena, beginning with Illinois State on Jan. 4.
Northern Iowa returns five starters from a team that went 16-15 and 10-8 in the MVC. The Panthers are expected to mount the toughest challenge to WSU. The Shockers play at Northern Iowa on Jan. 31.
WSU faces a pair of two-game road trips. It travels to Evansville on Jan. 17 and Missouri State, which pushed the Shockers to overtime at JQH Arena last season, on Jan. 21. On Feb. 14, WSU plays at Illinois State and follows with a trip to Southern Illinois on Feb. 17,.
Times and TV details are yet to be announced.
WSU opens the regular-season against New Mexico State on Nov. 14 at Koch Arena.
Reach Paul Suellentrop at 316-269-6760 or psuellentrop@wichitaeagle.com. Follow him on Twitter: @paulsuellentrop.
Wichita State basketball schedule
Nov. 8 — Northwood (Fla.) (exhibition)
Nov. 14 — New Mexico State
Nov. 18 — vs. Memphis (Sioux Falls, S.D.) (ESPN/ESPN2), 1 p.m.
Nov. 23 — Newman
Nov. 29 — Tulsa
Dec. 3 — at Utah
Dec. 6 — Saint Louis (Intrust Bank Arena)
Dec. 9 — Seton Hall
Dec. 13 — at Detroit (ESPNU), 11 a.m.
Dec. 16 — Alabama (ESPN2), 8 p.m.
Dec. 22 — vs. Loyola Marymount (Diamond Head Classic at Honolulu, ESPNU), 10 p.m.
Dec. 23 — vs. Nebraska or Hawaii (Diamond Head Classic)
Dec. 25 — Diamond Head Classic
Dec. 31 — at Drake
Jan. 4 — Illinois State
Jan. 7 — Bradley
Jan. 11 — at Loyola
Jan. 14 — Southern Illinois
Jan. 17 — at Evansville
Jan. 21 — at Missouri State
Jan. 25 — Drake
Jan. 28 — Loyola
Jan. 31 — at Northern Iowa
Feb. 4 — at Bradley
Feb. 7 — Missouri State
Feb. 11 — Indiana State
Feb. 14 — at Illinois State
Feb. 17 — at Southern Illinois
Feb. 22 — Evansville
Feb. 25 — at Indiana State
Feb. 28 — Northern Iowa
March 5-8 — MVC Tournament, St. Louis
This story was originally published September 4, 2014 at 12:43 PM with the headline "Wichita State opens MVC basketball schedule at Drake."