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Men's Basketball

NKU Men’s Basketball reveals 2026 non-conference schedule

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University Norse men's basketball announced its full slate of non-conference games on Thursday, with the Norse set to host five games at Truist Arena.  

Northern Kentucky opens the 2026-27 season in Sioux Falls, taking on UTEP as part of the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. The Norse will stay in the Mount Rushmore State for a matchup with South Dakota on November 4. NKU then heads down to College Station, taking on Texas A&M on November 6. It marks the first time the Norse have played Texas A&M since the 2017-18 campaign. Northern Kentucky wraps up its four-game road trip to open the season at Chaifetz Arena, where they'll take on Saint Louis on November 10.

Then, the Norse start a four-game homestand leading into Thanksgiving, opening their home schedule on November 14 against Central Michigan. Last season, NKU beat the Chippewas by 24 in Mount Pleasant. Northern Kentucky will then host Georgia Southern on November 23 and Bellarmine on November 25. Northern Kentucky's matchup with Georgia Southern will be the first in program history, while this season's matchup vs. Bellarmine marks the 80th all-time, with the Norse leading the series 45-34. 

NKU has four out-of-conference games in December, taking on Defiance on December 8, before facing South Carolina State on December 11, both at Truist Arena. The Norse wrap up their non-Horizon League schedule by taking on ETSU in Johnson City on December 15, before traveling up to Cambridge, Massachusetts to take on Harvard on December 20. It'll mark the first time that the Norse and Crimson have faced off, while the Norse traveled to ETSU last season. 

View the full schedule below.
November 2 – Neutral vs. UTEP (in Sioux Falls, SD, Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon)
November 4 – Away at South Dakota
November 6 – Away at Texas A&M
November 10 – Away at Saint Louis
November 14 – Home vs. Central Michigan
November 23 – Home vs. Georgia Southern
November 25 – Home vs. Bellarmine
December 8 – Home vs. Defiance
December 11 – Home vs. South Carolina State
December 15 – Away at ETSU
December 20 – Away at Harvard

Season ticket renewals are available for the 2026-27 season. Visit here for more information. 

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