Chris Raimondi (Sports Editor)
The path to March was laid out for KSU men’s basketball team on Tuesday with the release of the 2014-2015 schedule.
Of the 31 games, 14 will be played at home in the Convocation Center and three of the road games are against teams who made last year’s NCAA tournament (Syracuse, North Dakota State and Mercer).
The Owls will open their season in the Carrier Dome against college basketball powerhouse Syracuse Nov. 14 as part of the 2K classic. Two days later, KSU will fly across the country to Berkeley, California to take on the California Golden Bears.
“It’s going to be a challenge not only for what happens in between the lines, but also from a travel standpoint,” KSU head coach Jimmy Lallathin said of the team’s early season travel schedule. “But we’re looking forward to it. It’s going to give us a great litmus test early.”
The schedule then takes the Owls back to the peach state, briefly, to Macon to play the Mercer Bears Nov. 19. Mercer left the Atlantic Sun Conference and the 2014-2015 season will be the Bears first year in the Southern Conference.
The Owls will then travel across the country once more to finish the 2K classic in Fargo, North Dakota against North Dakota State Nov. 21 and either Alcorn State or Hampton the following day.
The home opener will be Wednesday, Nov. 26 against Samford. Four of the next five games include rematches from last season against Chattanooga, Florida International, Kent State and Youngstown State. Dec. 8 the Owls will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana to face off against mid-major power Butler.
The final five non-conference games include three home games against UMBC, Elon and Thomas University, and road games at Illinois and Tennessee State.
“It consists of some big games on the national level, but also with some regional and local challenges that will get us ready for Atlantic Sun Conference play,” Lallathin said of the non-conference schedule.
A-Sun play begins on Jan. 10 in Spartanburg, South Carolina when KSU faces USC Upstate, who the Owls split the season series with last year.
Saturday, Jan. 17 against Lipscomb is the Owls’ first home A-Sun game. Notable A-Sun home games include Florida Gulf Coast Saturday, Jan. 24 and Wednesday Feb. 24 against Northern Kentucky in the final home game of the season. NKU is now eligible for A-Sun conference play after sitting out of the annual tournament for the last two seasons per NCAA regulations after entering Div. I.
Along with Mercer, East Tennessee State left the A-Sun for the SoCon as well. All eight teams in the A-Sun are currently eligible to make the tournament conference at the end of the season.
