ST. BONAVENTURE –– Five home games, and a neutral site game against Maryland and a visit to Syracuse highlight a very challenging 2017 non-conference men’s basketball schedule for St. Bonaventure.
The Bonnies will play 12 games prior to Atlantic 10 Conference action – five at the Reilly Center, four at road sites and three on neutral courts. Of the 11 set opponents, two reached the NCAA Tournament last season, Maryland and Vermont, while Syracuse reached the NIT.
“This is the most challenging non-conference schedule we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt, who is starting his 11th season. “It will be good to open with three straight home games, especially since we’ll be away for five in row after that. We’ll see a lot of veteran teams who will give us great tests. Overall, this schedule will really push us to perform at a high level.”
Following the Nov. 10 season opener against Niagara, the Bonnies will remain at home for two more games, hosting Maryland Eastern Shore on Nov. 15 and Jackson State on Nov. 18. Those two games are part of the Emerald Coast Classic, which then moves to Niceland, Fla., Nov. 24-25.
In Florida, St. Bonaventure will face Maryland Nov. 24, then play either TCU or New Mexico the following day. After returning from Florida, the Bonnies will play Siena in the annual Franciscan Cup game on Nov. 29 in Albany, N.Y.
Two more road games follow, at Buffalo and Canisius, before St. Bonaventure returns home Dec. 9 to face Yale.
The Bonnies will then face Vermont in Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena on Dec. 16 in the Alesco Advisors Roc City Hoops Classic. That game will be followed by their last non-conference home game Dec. 20 against Northeastern.
The Atlantic 10 Conference schedule will be announced in early September.
For information on purchasing season tickets, contact the SBU Ticket Office at (716) 375-2500 or visit GoBonnies.com/tickets. Single game tickets go on sale in October.
