NKU Releases 2017-18 Schedule

Northern Kentucky University Athletics

non-conference

East Tennessee State

Wilmington

@ Islands of Bahamas Showcase (3 games)

@ Memphis

Berea

Morehead State

@ East Tennessee State

Eastern Kentucky

@ UMBC

@ Texas A&M

Only playing one major conference team. I think they had been playing two every year. Two games on ESPN networks is nice.

Only playing one major conference team. I think they had been playing two every year. Two games on ESPN networks is nice.

Memphis and A&M

Memphis and A&M

I guess "major conference" is debatable.

I guess "major conference" is debatable.

AAC was the seventh ranked RPI conference last year (NCAA College Basketball Conference RPI - CBSSports.com). I know Memphis has had some struggles but they've still been to the NCAA Tournament fifteen times in the last twenty years. I'd call any league with Cincinnati, Connecticut, Memphis, Temple, and Wichita State a major conference.

AAC was the seventh ranked RPI conference last year (NCAA College Basketball Conference RPI - CBSSports.com). I know Memphis has had some struggles but they've still been to the NCAA Tournament fifteen times in the last twenty years. I'd call any league with Cincinnati, Connecticut, Memphis, Temple, and Wichita State a major conference.

That's the top 5 of a "major conference"?

"Major conference" is generally accepted as the "Power 5" and in basketball you might get some to include the Big East. The AAC is not a major conference.

That's the top 5 of a "major conference"?

 

"Major conference" is generally accepted as the "Power 5" and in basketball you might get some to include the Big East. The AAC is not a major conference.

I understand the arbitrary use of "major conference" to mostly delineate between schools that make a ton of money playing football and those that don't. Under that heading, no the AAC isn't a power conference. But the AAC has proven themselves very competitive since the Big East left them and considering this thread is about Northern Kentucky University's basketball schedule, I'd say a road trip to Memphis is a pretty good program on the docket - probably just as much if not more so than going to Auburn or Boston College or Penn State or DePaul.

Enough about all of that, though. Lets go back to the NKU schedule. :thumb:

Someone please tell me Wilmington and Berea are exhibition games. Why on earth is NKU playing those teams?

Someone please tell me Wilmington and Berea are exhibition games. Why on earth is NKU playing those teams?

They appear to be regular season games. You're allowed to play two non-D1 regular season games each year. With their recent success, I'm curious if Northern had trouble getting teams to come to their place? Might have had to fill in some dates.

They appear to be regular season games. You're allowed to play two non-D1 regular season games each year. With their recent success, I'm curious if Northern had trouble getting teams to come to their place? Might have had to fill in some dates.

My guess is that was the case.

They have 14 regular season home games and 1 exhibition game. For $140 a seat for the entire year, season tickets are the best deal around. Pumped for the season, regardless of opponents!

They appear to be regular season games. You're allowed to play two non-D1 regular season games each year. With their recent success, I'm curious if Northern had trouble getting teams to come to their place? Might have had to fill in some dates.

Surprised they are playing E. Tenn St. twice. This might be a result of not being able to get teams to play them also.

Surprised they are playing E. Tenn St. twice. This might be a result of not being able to get teams to play them also.

Probably. They did this with Idaho two years ago.

They also had two dates taken away from them (Valpo) that they were not allowed to re-add to the schedule.

They also had two dates taken away from them (Valpo) that they were not allowed to re-add to the schedule.

There are 30 games on the schedule (most teams play 31), so it doesn't appear two games weren't allowed to be re-added. Also, IUPUI is the new conference member - it appears they've replaced the two league games against Valparaiso.

There are 30 games on the schedule (most teams play 31), so it doesn't appear two games weren't allowed to be re-added. Also, IUPUI is the new conference member - it appears they've replaced the two league games against Valparaiso.

Correct, IUPUI replaced Valpo, so no games lost there. As others have stated, just hard to find teams to come to BB&T.