Ohio assistant coach Kyle Barlow confirmed that the Bobcats have finalized 11 non-conference games, comprising the bulk of their non-Mid-American Conference schedule. The matchups are as follows:
Nov. 3 – vs. Arkansas State (MAC-SBC Challenge)
Nov. 6 – vs. Illinois State
Nov. 11 – @ Saint Mary’s
Nov. 15 – @ Louisville
Nov. 19 – vs. Bethune-Cookman (Sunshin Slam)
Nov. 24 – TBD (Sunshine Slam)
Nov. 25 – TBD (Sunshine Slam)
Dec. 3 – vs. Maine
Dec. 6 – vs. Marshall
Dec. 13 – vs. St. Bonaventure (Cleveland Hoops Showdown)
Feb. 7 – @ TBD (MAC-SBC Challenge)
For Ohio, the early schedule presents an opportunity for a squad with nine players yet to make their debut in the green and white a chance to get a feel for the Convocation Center and its new floor. The Convo was a sanctuary for Ohio in a .500 season, holding a 12-3 record at home.
Despite home games aplenty, Ohio has stacked its away schedule with big matchups. Louisville brings in the third-ranked transfer class in the nation, as well as top-six-ranked freshman Mikel Brown. That game comes right after a matchup with Saint Mary’s, which has finished each of the last four seasons ranked in the nation’s top 25.
Ohio, assuming it sticks to 14 nonconference matchups as it has done historically, still has three games to fill ahead of the announcement of the release of MAC schedules.
