Warhawks set 2020-21 men’s basketball schedule

MONROE, La. – The ULM men’s basketball team released its full 2020-21 schedule Thursday, featuring 13 home contests and a previously announced home-and-home non-conference series against I-20 rival Louisiana Tech.

In addition, the Sun Belt Conference issued a revised 18-game division-only schedule for the upcoming season due to COVID-19 concerns.

“Due to the pandemic and the NCAA’s mandate to reduce games, we decided to simplify our non-conference schedule and play schools within a four-hour radius of our campus,” ULM men’s basketball head coach Keith Richard said. “It’s easy travel for us and easy travel for our opponents. It kind of reminds me of how we all used to schedule back in the old days.”

The non-conference slate features seven games against regional opponents. ULM is set to open the season on Dec. 1 at Northwestern State, followed by the first leg of the series with Louisiana Tech on Dec. 3 in Ruston.

The Warhawks play their home-opener on Dec. 9 against Lamar at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. ULM continues a three-game homestand on Dec. 12 against Stephen F. Austin and Dec. 16 against Grambling State.

ULM plays its final road game of the non-conference schedule on Dec. 19 at Southern Miss before wrapping up the home-and-home series with Louisiana Tech on Dec. 22 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

In Sun Belt play, each team will play four other divisional opponents four times each, playing two games each weekend at one site. Each team will then play its geographic rival in two games on the same weekend in a home-and-home format. In eight-of-nine weekends, teams will meet on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. For the home-and-home series against the geographic rival, games will be played on Thursday and Saturday.

The Warhawks will play most of their home conference games in January before spending much of February on the road.

ULM rings in the New Year with Arkansas State at Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Jan. 1-2. The Warhawks also play host to UT Arlington on Jan. 8-9.

After visiting Arkansas State on Jan. 15-16, ULM entertains Texas State on Jan. 22-23. The Warhawks close the month of January at Little Rock on Jan. 29-30.

ULM continues a five-game road swing in early February, visiting UT Arlington on Feb. 5-6 and the Ragin’ Cajuns on Feb. 11. The Cajuns visit Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Feb. 13 before the Warhawks play their final two home games of the season against Little Rock on Feb. 19-20.

ULM closes the regular season with a pair of games at Texas State on Feb. 26-27.

“Our conference schedule also has been changed to reduce risk, travel less, test properly and give everyone their best chance to play games without interruption,” Richard said. “This is certainly a different and unique schedule that we look forward to playing while keeping the safety of our players in mind throughout the season.”

The Sun Belt Conference Championship is slated to run from March 5-9 in Pensacola, Florida. All 12 teams will advance to the tournament, with the top two teams in each division receiving first-round byes.