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Nonconference schedule set for CU Buffs men's basketball

pat rooney, daily times-call, longmont, colo.
·3 min read

Aug. 21—The Colorado men's basketball team is still awaiting the schedule of destinations for the final tour through the Pac-12 Conference.

However, the final pieces of the Buffaloes' nonconference schedule have fallen into place.

On Monday, CU released its nonconference schedule for the 2023-24 season, which begins on college basketball's Nov. 6 opening day with a home date against Towson.

The 11-game nonconference ledger features seven home dates, three neutral-floor matchups, and one true road game — a Nov. 29 showdown at Colorado State.

Following the Towson opener, the Buffs host Grambling State in the completion of a home-and-home series as part of the Legacy Series arranged between the SWAC and Pac-12 — an agreement that might not last beyond 2023-24 due to the implosion of the Pac-12. CU suffered an 83-74 loss at Grambling State in the second game of last season.

The early schedule continues with a home game against Milwaukee on Nov. 14 as part of the Sunshine Slam. The Buffs then depart for their first road trip, continuing the Sunshine Slam against Richmond on Nov. 20 in Daytona Beach before completing the tournament the following day against Florida State or UNLV.

CU returns home to face Iona on Nov. 26 and, after visiting CSU, the Buffs host former Washington coach Lorenzo Romar and Pepperdine. The Waves have another familiar face in former USC and Wyoming guard Ethan Anderson.

The Buffs return to the road for the marquee matchup of the nonconference schedule, taking on Final Four participant Miami (Fla.) in the NABC Brooklyn Showcase at the Barclays Center. CU returns home to complete the nonconference schedule against Northern Colorado (Dec. 15) and Utah Tech (Dec. 21).

Utah Tech, a WAC program in its fourth season of transitioning to Division I from Division II, is the only first-time opponent on the schedule. The state rivals obviously are familiar foes, and the Buffs have faced Grambling State, Milwaukee and Iona in recent seasons.

However, it will be CU's first game against Miami in nearly 67 years (since Jan. 3, 1957); the first against Towson in 32 years (since Nov. 25, 1991); the first against Richmond in nearly 19 years (since Jan. 4, 2005), and the first against Pepperdine in 17 years (since Dec. 4, 2006).

While the Pac-12 released its weekly pairings for women's basketball six weeks ago, the pairings for the men's conference schedule still are pending. (The Pac-12 announced its weekly pairings for last season on Aug. 15). One notable difference in the upcoming league schedule is CU's final Pac-12 season before moving to the Big 12 will not feature the two standalone conference games in December. The Pac-12 still will use a 20-game conference schedule, but with the conference tournaments beginning a week later this season, those single-matchup games will be worked into the regular league slate that begins in late December.

2023-24 CU Buffs men's basketball nonconference schedule

Nov. 6: TOWSON

Nov. 10: GRAMBLING STATE

Nov. 14: MILWAUKEE (Sunshine Slam)

Nov. 20: vs. Richmond, 6 p.m. (at Daytona Beach; Sunshine Slam; CBS Sports Network)

Nov. 21: vs. Florida State/UNLV, 2/4:30 p.m. (at Daytona Beach; Sunshine Slam)

Nov. 26: IONA

Nov. 29: at Colorado State, 7 p.m.

Dec. 3: PEPPERDINE

Dec. 10: vs. Miami (Fla.), noon (at Barclays Center; NABC Brooklyn Showcase)

Dec. 15: NORTHERN COLORADO

Dec. 21: UTAH TECH

Dec. 28-31: Start of Pac-12 Conference play

March 13-16: Pac-12 tournament, Las Vegas

(All times, TV info TBD unless noted; Home games in CAPS; All times MT)