Big Sky Conference announces hoops schedule

From news services

FARMINGTON, Utah – The Big Sky Conference announced a 20-game conference schedule for men's and women's basketball on Thursday morning.

The schedule features two consecutive contests against every school to help reduce travel and expenses.

Each school will face four opponents twice at home and four opponents twice on the road, as well as two opponents against whom it will compete in one home and one away game. The regular season will feature 11 weeks, which includes one open weekend per school.

"I know the conference worked extremely hard to come up with a schedule that would allow us to play in this very difficult year. The model they came up with will allow us to do so and I am thankful for that," Idaho women's basketball coach Jon Newlee said. "Even though it is vastly different than any conference season I have ever experienced, we will just focus on one series at a time whether it be home or away and roll with it. I am excited and look forward to all the challenges ahead. Go Vandals!"

The Vandals open league play with Sacramento State on Dec. 3 and 5, with the women welcoming the Hornets, and the men traveling to Sacramento. The next games will be Dec. 31 and Jan. 2, with the men hosting Northern Arizona and the women playing on the road against the Lumberjacks.

Both the men's and women's squads will play a home-and-home series with Eastern Washington and Portland State. The men will host the Eagles on Feb. 4 and visit Cheney two days later, while the women welcome EWU on Feb. 6 — two days after playing at Eastern.

"We are thankful to all the folks that made this schedule possible," Idaho men's basketball coach Zac Claus said. "Our guys are certainly looking forward to the challenges of Big Sky play."

The Vandals are scheduled to close out the Big Sky schedule with a pair of matchups with Montana. The women will host the Griz on March 3 and 5, while the men will travel to Missoula on March 4 and 6.

Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik is a member of the Big Sky Basketball Committee.

The season will culminate for all 22 teams with the 2021 Big Sky Basketball Championships at the newly renamed Idaho Central Arena (formerly CenturyLink Arena) on March 8-13 in Boise, for a third consecutive year.

Television information will be released in the coming weeks, and game dates could change due to TV broadcasts.

MEN

IDAHO

Times TBA

Dec. 3, 5 — at Sacramento State. Dec. 31, Jan. 2 — vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA.

Jan. 7, 9 — at Southern Utah. Jan. 14, 16 — vs. NORTHERN COLORADO. Jan. 28, 30 — vs. WEBER STATE.

Feb. 4 — vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON. Feb. 6 — at Eastern Washington. Feb. 11, 13 — at Idaho State. Feb. 18 — at Portland State. Feb. 20 — vs. PORTLAND STATE. Feb. 25, 27 — vs. MONTANA STATE.

March 4, 6 — at Montana.

EASTERN WASHINGTON

Times TBA

Dec. 3, 5 — at Northern Arizona. Dec. 31, Jan. 2 — vs. PORTLAND STATE.

Jan. 7, 9 — at Weber State. Jan. 14, 16 — vs. SOUTHERN UTAH. Jan. 21, 23 — at Northern Colorado. Jan. 28, 30 — vs. SACRAMENTO STATE.

Feb. 4 — at Idaho. Feb. 6 — vs. Idaho. Feb. 11, 13 — at Montana State. Feb. 18 — vs. MONTANA. Feb. 20 — at Montana.

March 4, 6 — vs. IDAHO STATE.

WOMEN

IDAHO

Times TBA

Dec. 3, 5 — vs. SACRAMENTO STATE. Dec. 31, Jan. 2 — at Northern Arizona.

Jan. 7, 9 — vs. SOUTHERN UTAH. Jan. 14, 16 — at Northern Colorado. Jan. 28, 30 — at Weber State. Feb. 4 — at Eastern Washington. Feb. 6 — vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON. Feb. 11, 13 — vs. IDAHO STATE. Feb. 18 — vs. PORTLAND STATE. Feb. 20 — at Portland State. Feb. 25, 27 — at Montana State.

March 3, 5 — vs. MONTANA.

EASTERN WASHINGTON

Times TBA

Dec. 3, 5 — vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA. Dec. 31, Jan. 2 — at Portland State.

Jan. 7, 9 — vs. WEBER STATE. Jan. 14, 16 — at Southern Utah. Jan. 21, 23 — vs. NORTHERN COLORADO. Jan. 28, 30 — at Sacramento State.

Feb. 4 — vs. IDAHO. Feb. 6 — at Idaho. Feb. 11, 13 — vs. MONTANA STATE. Feb. 18 — at Montana. Feb. 20 — vs. MONTANA.

March 3, 5 — at Idaho State