Slate features 15 homes games including ESPN tipoff against Green Bay; road games at Villanova, Georgia Tech and Tennessee also highlight schedule

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 1, 2015) – A 31-game schedule featuring 15 home contests, a home game broadcast nationally on the ESPN2, visits to Villanova, Georgia Tech and Tennessee, and an exciting Southern Conference slate highlight the 2015-16 ETSU men’s basketball schedule released Tuesday by first-year head coach Steve Forbes.

"Our schedule is challenging and will prepare us for conference play,” Forbes said. “We have a good balance between home and road games, giving our fans 15 opportunities to see us play in Freedom Hall this year. Having the chance to be a part of the ESPN 24-hour College Hoops Marathon provides the rest of the country a front row seat to see just how special our fans and ETSU really are.”

ETSU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Richard Sander said Forbes’ staff deserves credit for putting together a quality schedule.

“We are really pleased with the schedule Coach Forbes and his staff were able to put together despite the challenges of getting settled here at ETSU and getting a late start in the scheduling process,” Sander said. “This schedule includes teams with widely-known national and regional brands, and it’s a schedule that will give our fans plenty to be excited about both when we play on the road and at home.”

The season will begin with an exhibition game at home on Thursday, Nov. 5 against Tusculum, followed by the regular season home opener versus Averett on Saturday, Nov. 14. ESPN2 will then come to town to broadcast the Bucs’ home matchup with Green Bay on Nov. 17 inside Freedom Hall, as part of the network’s annual, 24-hour College Hoops Tip-off Marathon.

Following those home contests, ETSU will hit the road for a daunting stretch of three games in five days, a lineup that includes stops at Big East Conference foe Villanova (Nov. 20), Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Georgia Tech (Nov. 22), and Big South Conference contender Charleston Southern (Nov. 24). The Bucs will then close out the month of November back home against UNC Wilmington on Nov. 28.

The month of December includes home contests with Milligan (Dec. 10), Eastern Kentucky (Dec. 18) and Morehead State (Dec. 30), while the Bucs will play on the road at Tennessee Tech (Dec. 2), UNC Asheville (Dec. 15) and Tennessee (Dec. 22).

ETSU will then open Southern Conference play Jan. 2 on the road at Western Carolina, followed by the team’s final non-conference game of the year at North Carolina Central on Jan. 4. Home conference games to circle on the calendar include Mercer (Jan. 21), Chattanooga (Feb. 13), Western Carolina (Feb. 15) and Wofford (Feb. 27).

Fans interested in purchasing season tickets are encouraged to call the ETSU athletic ticket office at 423-439-ETSU (3878) or visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the ticket link. For more on ETSU men’s basketball throughout the 2014-15 season, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s hoops link.

2015-16 ETSU Men’s Basketball Schedule

Thursday, Nov. 5............................................................ Tusculum %

Saturday, Nov. 14.................................................................... Averett

Tuesday, Nov. 17........................................................... Green Bay $

Friday, Nov. 20.................................................................. at Villanova

Sunday, Nov. 22........................................................ at Georgia Tech

Tuesday, Nov. 24......................................... at Charleston Southern

Saturday, Nov. 28................................................... UNC Wilmington

Wednesday, Dec. 2............................................. at Tennessee Tech

Thursday, Dec. 10................................................................... Milligan

Tuesday, Dec. 15.................................................... at UNC Asheville

Friday, Dec. 18..................................................... Eastern Kentucky

Tuesday, Dec. 22........................................................... at Tennessee

Wednesday, Dec. 30............................................... Morehead State

Saturday, Jan. 2............................................... at Western Carolina *

Monday, Jan. 4............................................................... at NC Central

Saturday, Jan. 9................................................. UNC Greensboro *

Monday, Jan. 11........................................................................... VMI *

Thursday, Jan 14............................................................. at Samford *

Saturday, Jan. 16..................................................... at Chattanooga *

Thursday, Jan 21.................................................................. Mercer *

Saturday, Jan. 23.......................................................... The Citadel *

Thursday, Jan. 28............................................................. at Wofford *

Saturday, Jan. 30.............................................................. at Furman *

Thursday, Feb. 4....................................................................... at VMI *

Saturday, Feb. 6............................................... at UNC Greensboro *

Thursday, Feb. 11............................................................... Samford *

Saturday, Feb. 13....................................................... Chattanooga *

Monday, Feb. 15................................................. Western Carolina *

Thursday, Feb. 18...................................................... at The Citadel *

Saturday, Feb. 20............................................................... at Mercer *

Thursday, Feb. 25................................................................ Furman *

Saturday, Feb. 27................................................................. Wofford *

March 4-7............................... SoCon Tournament (Asheville, N.C.)

Home games in bold

% -- Exhibition

$ -- indicates ESPN Tip-Off Marathon Game at 6 a.m.

* -- indicates Southern Conference game