Wildcats to host UNH, Riverside in 2015-16
8/27/2015 2:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
2015-16 Men's Basketball Schedule
ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats enter the 2015-16 men's basketball season with one of its youngest, but most talented, rosters in the last several years, and that youth will be tested by another schedule put together by head coach Joe Golding and his staff.
The Wildcats will play nine non-conference games against NCAA Division I opponents before an 18-game Southland Conference schedule begins on Saturday, Jan. 2, against Central Arkansas. The Wildcats will play two of those nine games at home as New Hampshire (America East Conference) and California-Riverside (Big West Conference) will be at Moody Coliseum.
The Wildcats of New Hampshire will play at ACU on Thursday, Dec. 3, while the Highlanders of UC-Riverside will play in Abilene on Friday, Dec. 18. ACU's other non-conference home games are against the University of the Southwest (season-opener on Friday, NOv. 13), Howard Payne, Schreiner and Hillsdale Baptist.
"At our level, it's extremely difficult to get NCAA Division I home games in the fall semester," ACU head coach Joe Golding said. "It'll be great to have New Hampshire and California-Riverside come to Abilene and hopefully we can get a couple of big wins."
New Hampshire was 19-13 last year, matching the program's high in wins and posting its first winning season since 1994-95. UNH has eight players from Texas on its roster: Jaleen Smith from Freeport, Andrew Dotson from Arlington, Jacoby Armstrong from Sachse, Daniel Dion from Cedar Park, Jordan Reed from Lucas, Frank Okeke from DeSoto, Tanner Leissner from Converse, and Ronnel Jordan from San Antonio.
Riverside finished 14-17 in 2014-15, but one of those victories with a 76-56 win over ACU on Nov. 29 in Riverside, Calif.
The Wildcats will be on the road to take on Portland (Nov. 22) and Colorado State (Nov. 24) before finishing up the Corpus Christi Coastal Challenge against Florida A&M (Nov. 27) and either Oakland or Alcorn State (Nov. 28) in Corpus Christi. ACU will also play at Nebraska (Dec. 5), at TCU (Dec. 20), and at Drake (Dec. 22).
"We've been able to put together a very challenging schedule, and we're looking forward to the opportunity to compete against some really good NCAA Division I programs," Golding said. "We'll be tested early on, and hopefully that will help us be prepared for conference play."
The Wildcats are on the road to begin conference play at Central Arkansas (Jan. 2) and at Nicholls (Jan. 9) before hosting perennial Southland Conference powerhouse Northwestern State at Moody Coliseum on Jan. 12. ACU will be at three-time league champion Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 16, the only time the Wildcats will play the Lumberjacks in 2015-16.
ACU plays Incarnate Word, Sam Houston State, Lamar, Houston Baptist, Southeastern Louisiana and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi twice during the season. The Wildcats will close their season with three straight home games: Feb. 27 against New Orleans, March 3 against Incarnate Word and March 5 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
