MONROE, La. – Fourteen games inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum, including regional rivalries with Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State, a first-time visit from Sun Belt Conference foe Marshall and a game against a to-be-determined Mid-American Conference opponent, highlight the 2023-24 ULM men's basketball schedule, as announced by head coach
Keith Richard and the Sun Belt Conference on Wednesday morning.
"We have a challenging non-conference schedule that will prepare us for Sun Belt Conference play," Richard said. "Our players will gain valuable experience competing against Houston to open the season, and we're excited to have important regional games against Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State in front of our fans at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Sun Belt added depth with the four new additions last season, making an already competitive league even tougher. We look forward to playing against great competition inside conference play."
ULM opens the season on Monday, Nov. 6, with a trip to Houston to face the Cougars in their first game as a member of the Big 12 Conference. It is the sixth all-time meeting between ULM and UH, with Houston winning the last meeting, 76-64, on Nov. 28, 2015, in Houston.
The Warhawks then head to Mount Pleasant, Michigan, to face Central Michigan on Sat., Nov. 11, in the first leg of the new Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge, marking the first-ever meeting between the Warhawks and Chippewas. ULM will entertain a MAC opponent, determined by NET rankings in January, on Feb. 10 in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
ULM opens the home schedule by renewing the I-20 rivalry with Louisiana Tech on Nov. 16. It is the 92nd all-time meeting with the Bulldogs. The Warhawks have a 25-21 mark against LA Tech inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
After a clash with Ecclesia on Nov. 20, ULM heads to Dallas to face SMU on Nov. 26. It is the second time in the last three seasons that the Warhawks and Mustangs have squared off, with SMU taking a 74-67 win in Dallas on Nov. 28, 2021.
ULM closes the month of November at home on Nov. 28 against Northwestern State. It is slated to be the 130th all-time meeting between the Warhawks and Demons, with ULM winning five of the last six meetings.
The Warhawks will spend much of the month of December on the road. After hosting Champion Christian on Dec. 5, ULM returns games against Sam Houston (Dec. 12), Lamar (Dec. 14) and Jacksonville (Dec. 18), after playing the Bearkats, Cardinals and Dolphins at home last season.
Sun Belt Conference play begins with a road trip to App State to face the Mountaineers on Dec. 30. Marshall starts a four-game homestand for ULM on Jan. 3. The Thundering Herd makes its first visit to Fant-Ewing Coliseum after ULM won a double-overtime thriller in Huntington, West Virginia, last season. Georgia Southern follows on Jan. 6 after ULM won in Statesboro last season. Southern Miss visits for the first of two meetings on Jan. 11. Texas State concludes the homestand on Jan. 13. The Warhawks swept the season series from the Bobcats last year.
ULM spends the next week in Virginia, taking on James Madison on Jan. 18 and facing Old Dominion for the first time on Jan. 20.
The Warhawks close January against three SBC West Division foes, taking on South Alabama on Jan. 25, Arkansas State on Jan. 27 and visiting the Ragin' Cajuns on Jan. 31.
ULM opens February on the road, meeting Arkansas State for the second-straight Saturday on Feb. 3. Coastal Carolina makes a second-consecutive visit to Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Feb. 7, after ULM rolled to an 83-70 win last season.
After playing the second leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge on Feb. 10 in Fant-Ewing Coliseum, ULM visits Southern Miss on Feb. 15 and Troy on Feb. 17. The home schedule concludes with the Ragin' Cajuns on Feb. 22 and another contest with Troy on Feb. 24. The Warhawks wrap up the regular season at Texas State on Feb. 27 and South Alabama on March 1.
The Sun Belt Conference Championship is set for March 5-11 at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida.
