2025-26 Basketball Schedule

[BCPanther]

Nov 1 Upper Iowa (exh) 7:00 PM ESPN+
Eric Braley (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Randy Heimerman, Roland Simmons, Dave Cusick

Nov 6 CSUN 7:00 PM ESPN+
Chris Klienhans-Shulz (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: John Hampton, Jeff Campbell, Ervin Wilson

Nov 9 South Dakota State 1:00 PM ESPN+
Brad Wells (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Ed Crenshaw, Jeff Malham, Brad Ferrie

Nov 14 Furman 6:00 PM ESPN+
BJ Schaben (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Bret Smith, Antinio Petty, Tyler Kumpf

Nov 18 Northern Illinois 7:00 PM ESPN+
Eric Braley (pxp) Matt Schneiderman (analyst)
Officials: Brooks Wells, Rick Crawford, Christopher Merlo

Nov 22 at UC-Irvine 9:30 PM ESPN+
Trent Rush (pxp)
Officials: Randy McCall, Chris Pacsi, Ervin Wilson

Nov 25 Loyola 3:00 PM No TV
Officials: David Hall, Gene Grimshaw, Bill Vinovich

Nov 26 Tulsa 3:30 PM CBS Sports Net
Justin Kutcher (pxp) BJ Taylor (analyst)
Officials: John Hampton, Gene Grimshaw, Wacey Lynn

Dec 1 Coe 7:00 PM ESPN+
Eric Braley (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Jeff Anderson, Eric Curry, Randy Heimerman

Dec 6 Wichita State 7:00 PM ESPN+
Eric Braley (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Tommy Johnson, Ervin Wilson, Grant Jeffress

Dec 13 Oakland 5:00 PM ESPN+
Brad Wells (pxp) Matt Schneiderman (analyst)
Officials: Roland Simmons, Gene Grimshaw, Justin Albrecht

Dec 17 at UIC 4:00 PM Marquee Sports Network/ESPN+
Sam Brief (pxp) Keno Davis (analyst)
Officials: Rick Crawford, Tyler Kumpf, Tommy Johnson

Dec 22 at St Mary's 9:00 PM ESPN+
Brian Brownfield (pxp) Steve Kroner (analyst)
Officials: Randy McCall, Bret Smith, Bill Vinovich

Dec 29 Valpo 7:00 PM The Valley on ESPN
Eric Braley (pxp) Matt Schneiderman (analyst)
Officials: Antinio Petty, James Duke, Randy Heimerman

Jan 1 Indiana State 7:00 PM ESPN+
Brad Wells (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Kipp Kissinger, Doug Sirmons, Christopher Merlo

Jan 4 at Evansville 3:00 PM ESPN+
Kyle Peach (pxp) Max Power (analyst)
Officials: Chance Moore, Ed Crenshaw, Gene Grimshaw

Jan 7 Belmont 6:00 PM MVC-TV
Brad Wells (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Eric Curry, Tyler Kumpf, Jeff Campbell

Jan 10 at Bradley 5:00 PM ESPNU
Clay Matvick (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: James Duke, DeSelle Dean, Larry Hamilton

Jan 13 UIC 6:00 PM MVC-TV
Brad Wells (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Tommy Johnson, Chris Pacsi, Keith Patterson

Jan 17 at Valpo 2:00 PM ESPN+
Todd Ickow (pxp) Brian Jennings (analyst) Austin Amburgey (sideline)
Officials: Brad Ferrie, Shane Staggs, Scott Tierney

Jan 21 at Illinois State 8:00 PM ESPNU
Clay Matvick (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Randy McCall, Tyler Kumpf, Ervin Wilson

Jan 24 Murray State 3:00 PM CBS Sports Net
John Sadak (pxp) John Henson (analyst)
Officials: Tyler Kumpf, Randy Heimerman, Grant Jeffress

Jan 28 at Southern Illinois 6:00 PM MVC-TV
Tom Ackerman (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Antinio Petty, Chris Pacsi, Jeff Campbell

Jan 31 Evansville 3:00 PM ESPN+
Brad Wells (pxp) Matt Schneiderman (analyst)
Officials: Gary Maxwell, Ervin Wilson, Justin Albrecht

Feb 6 Bradley 7:00 PM CBS Sports Net
Jack Gordon (pxp) Tre Demps (analyst)
Officials: Kipp Kissinger, Chance Moore, Tyler Kumpf

Feb 9 at Murray State 9:00 PM CBS Sports Net
John Sadak (pxp) Tre Demps (analyst)
Officials: Randy McCall, Antinio Petty, Randy Heimerman

Feb 12 at Belmont 8:00 PM MVC-TV
Scott Warmann (pxp) Dan Muller (analyst)
Officials: Kipp Kissinger, Roger Ayers, Keith Patterson

Feb 15 Drake 2:00 PM CBS Sports Net
Jack Gordon (pxp) Pete Gillen (analyst)
Officials: Doug Sirmons, DJ Carstensen, Brooks Wells

Feb 18 at Indiana State 6:00 PM ESPN+
Brendan King (pxp) Matt Renn (analyst)
Officials: John Hampton, Chris Pacsi, Gene Grimshaw

Feb 21 Southern Illinois 5:00 PM ESPN+
Eric Braley (pxp) Matt Schneiderman (analyst)
Officials: Gary Maxwell, Justin Albrecht, Grant Jeffress

Feb 25 Illinois State 6:00 PM ESPNU
Clay Matvick (pxp) Kevin Lehman (analyst)
Officials: Bret Smith, Eric Curry, James Ford

Mar 1 at Drake 2:00 PM ESPN+
Larry Morgan (pxp) Laura Leonard (analyst)
Officials: Kipp Kissinger, Brooks Wells, Chance Moore

Mar 5 vs (11) Evansville 8:30 PM MVC-TV
John Rooney (pxp) Rich Zvosec (analyst) Adam Emmenecker (sideline)
Officials: Doug Sirmons, Tyler Kumpf, Jeff Malham

Mar 6 vs (3) Illinois State 8:30 PM MVC-TV
John Rooney (pxp) Rich Zvosec (analyst) Adam Emmenecker (sideline)
Officials: Kipp Kissinger, Ed Crenshaw, Randy Heimerman

Mar 7 vs (2) Bradley 5:00 PM CBS Sports Net
Tom McCarthy (pxp) Mike O'Donnell (analyst) Evan Washburn (sideline)
Officials: Kipp Kissinger, Marques Pettigrew, Randy Heimerman

Mar 8 vs (5) UIC 11:00 AM CBS
Kevin Harlan (pxp) Robbie Hummel (analyst) Evan Washburn (sideline)
Officials: Kipp Kissinger, Marques Pettigrew, Brooks Wells

Mar 20 vs (5) St John's 6:10 PM CBS
Kevin Harlan (pxp) Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy (analysts) Lauren Shehadi (sideline)
Officials: Pat Adams, Rick Crawford, Nathan Hall

[BCPanther]

Starting with 25-26, schools are now allowed to play 2 exhibition games against any 4 year school regardless of division and they can be public with scores kept.

This ends 'secret' scrimmages and makes having exhibition games against other DI schools legal.

[kochrab]

Starting with 25-26, schools are now allowed to play 2 exhibition games against any 4 year school regardless of division and they can be public with scores kept.

This ends 'secret' scrimmages and makes having exhibition games against other DI schools legal.

Would be awesome to get H/H exhibitions with some bigger name schools. I know we've historically done a scrimmage with Wisconsin. That'd be a fun one at home.

[SteinPizza]

Would be awesome to get H/H exhibitions with some bigger name schools. I know we've historically done a scrimmage with Wisconsin. That'd be a fun one at home.

I agree, but wouldn’t the math probably work the same for a scrimmage as a home game? Home team makes revenue, etc? If so, what incentive does Wisconsin have to come to Cedar Falls, as an example?

[kochrab]

I agree, but wouldn’t the math probably work the same for a scrimmage as a home game? Home team makes revenue, etc? If so, what incentive does Wisconsin have to come to Cedar Falls, as an example?

It's probably unrealistic, but would be neat if it played out that way. I think it opens the door more for bigger name schools because it doesn't affect record, but like you said, I doubt it'd probably happen because of revenue.

[Purple member]

Would be awesome to get H/H exhibitions with some bigger name schools. I know we've historically done a scrimmage with Wisconsin. That'd be a fun one at home.

I remember hosting Wisconsin when I was in school, we beat them and I doubt they have been back since. Of course we were still playing in the done, but it was still fun

[BCPanther]

Buy game against Oakland on November 18th.

Coupling the trip to Irvine with the Montana game.

[BCPanther]

As has been rumored for a while, we are playing in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, CA for our MTE. There are some NIL incentives.

All games available on one of the Turner Networks and/or MAX.

We'll play two of Loyola, Nevada and Tulsa.

[Username]

Already shaping up to be another solid schedule.

I truly do wonder if we put it together one of these seasons how our metrics will look compared to valley teams that blow through their non cons, win 85% of their conference games, and still all but need to win at arch to get in.

[UNIpanther99]

As has been rumored for a while, we are playing in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, CA for our MTE. There are some NIL incentives.

All games available on one of the Turner Networks and/or MAX.

We'll play two of Loyola, Nevada and Tulsa.

I saw Iowa was added to the Acrisure series, but I'm assuming there are different "levels" and they are keeping the mids away from the power schools?

[06panther10]

I saw Iowa was added to the Acrisure series, but I'm assuming there are different "levels" and they are keeping the mids away from the power schools?

Well of course. Wouldn't want leave to chance the illusion that the mids can't compete with those schools...

[BCPanther]

It appears we're getting a home game as part of the Acrisure Series. It will come from this pool:

Northern Illinois
Eastern Washington
Austin Peay
New Orleans
Cal-Riverside
Stephen F Austin
Louisiana
Northwestern State
Chicago State
Southern

[Panther AC]

Buy game against Oakland on November 18th.

Coupling the trip to Irvine with the Montana game.

Actually, the UC Irvine game will be played there November 22 (not the 11th), making it a three-game Southern California trip, with the Acrisure contests in Palm Springs on November 25 and 26.

[BCPanther]

Rocco Miller reporting a home game with Northern Illinois on November 25th which seems to bump the Acrisure games to later in the week and kind of confirms that the trip to Irvine is earlier.

[Panther AC]

Rocco Miller reporting a home game with Northern Illinois on November 25th which seems to bump the Acrisure games to later in the week and kind of confirms that the trip to Irvine is earlier.

The basketball program was gauging interest from fans last month who might be interested in travelling with the team to UC Irvine and the two Acrisure games. The dates they gave were 11/22 for Irvine and 11/25 and 11/26 for Acrisure. Unfortunately, not enough fans expressed an interest in a charter trip which would have left Waterloo on 11/21 and returned late after the game on 11/26, so they would be home on 11/27 Thanksgiving Day.