Northwest Notes

Idaho football to open fall camp Saturday

MOSCOW — The Idaho Vandals report for fall football camp on Friday, with the first practice scheduled Saturday evening.

Practice begins four weeks ahead of the Vandals’ first game of the 2018 season, at Fresno State on Sept. 1. Idaho’s home opener is the following week, Sept. 8, against Western New Mexico.

Scrimmages are scheduled Saturday, Aug. 11; Wednesday, Aug. 15 and Friday, Aug. 24, with the latter a mock game format.

The Vandals return to the Big Sky this fall, with their first conference game on Sept. 22 at UC Davis. Their first conference home game is Sept. 29 against Portland State.

EWU lists 2018-19 basketball schedule

CHENEY — Road games against Syracuse and three Pac-12 foes, along with a home game against NCAA tournament qualifier South Dakota State, highlight this season’s Eastern Washington men’s basketball nonconference schedule.

The 2018-19 men’s basketball schedule was announced Monday by EWU — a complete schedule is listed below. Eastern also still needs to fill one game against a non-NCAA Division I opponent, tentatively scheduled for Dec. 21.

The Eagles will play 11 games — four at home and seven on the road — prior to the start of Big Sky Conference play on Dec. 29. Three of the road games will be at Pac-12 Conference foes, as well as a cross-country trip to play EWU’s season-opener at Syracuse on Nov. 6.

“It’s a challenge, but we’ll be ready for tip-off on Nov. 6,” said second-year head coach Shantay Legans. “We’ll be tested on the road again, and our four games at home will be challenging as well. We’re looking forward to the non-conference portion of our schedule preparing us for our league schedule and ultimately the Big Sky Tournament in March.”

Eastern’s conference schedule was announced on July 24. The Big Sky Conference Championship, which will take place in Boise, Idaho, for the next three years, is scheduled for March 11-16, 2019 at CenturyLink Arena.

The Eagles finished the 2017-18 season with a 20-15 record in their 35th season as a member of NCAA Division I after finishing 13-5 in the league during their 31st season as a member of the Big Sky. Eastern made its fourth-straight national postseason appearance when the team competed in the 2018 College Basketball Invitational (CBI).

Eastern will play Green Bay on Nov. 16 and either UMKC or Morehead State on Nov. 17, respectively, as part of a sub-regional of the 2K Classic benefitting the Wounded Warrior Project. The Eagles will also host powerhouse South Dakota State on Dec. 18, and a non-Division I opponent yet to be determined on Dec. 21.

When the Eagles open the season on Nov. 6, they’ll face a Syracuse team coming off a 23-14 record and appearance in the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament. Under veteran head coach Jim Boeheim, the Orange beat Arizona State (60-56), TCU (57-52) and Michigan State (55-53) before bowing to Duke (69-65). It will be EWU’s first-ever meeting versus Syracuse, which finished 8-10 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Eastern follows that by playing at Oregon on Nov. 9, which along with Syracuse, are also games played as part of the 2K Classic. After the 2K Classic sub-regional at Reese Court, the Eagles play their next five games on the road — Washington, Seattle, North Dakota State and Stanford. Last season, in just the third game under Legans, Eastern upset Stanford 81-67 on Nov. 14, 2017.

2018-19 EWU Men’s Basketball Schedule

(all times Pacific)

Home games in BOLD

* = Big Sky Conference game

Tuesday, Nov. 6: at Syracuse, TBA

Friday, Nov. 9: at Oregon, TBA

Friday, Nov. 16: Green Bay, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 17: UMKC or Morehead State, 3:15 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 27: at Washington, TBA

Sunday, Dec. 2: at Seattle University, TBA

Saturday, Dec. 8: at North Dakota State, TBA

Thursday, Dec. 13: at San Francisco, TBA

Saturday, Dec. 15: at Stanford, TBA

Tuesday, Dec. 18: South Dakota State, 6:05 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 21: To be determined, 6:05 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 29: Weber State*, 2:05 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 31: Idaho State*, 2:05 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 3: at Idaho, TBA

Monday, Jan. 7: at Northern Colorado*, TBA

Thursday, Jan. 10: Montana*, 6:05 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 19: Montana State*, 2:05 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 24: at Portland State*, TBA

Saturday, Jan. 26: at Sacramento State*, TBA

Saturday, Feb. 2: Southern Utah*, 2:05 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 4: Northern Arizona*, 6:05 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 7: at Montana State*, TBA

Saturday, Feb. 9: at Montana*, TBA

Saturday, Feb. 16: Northern Colorado*, 2:05 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 18: Idaho*, 6:05 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 21: at Southern Utah*, TBA

Saturday, Feb. 23: at Northern Arizona*, TBA

Thursday, Feb. 28: Sacramento State*, 6:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 2: Portland State*, 2:05 p.m.

Thursday, March 7: at Idaho State*, TBA

Saturday, March 9: at Weber State*, TBA

Monday, March 11, through Saturday, March 16: Big Sky Tournament, CenturyLink Arena, Boise, TBA