The Horizon League has modernized its scheduling for the 2023-24 basketball season in an approach to offer competitive equity, minimize class time missed and maximize recovery time.
The new model strategizes road trips to minimize travel costs and limits extended stretches of road games and time away from home. For example, the Northern Kentucky men’s basketball team played seven of its final eight regular season games on the road last season.
The conference schedule remains 20 games for each team, playing each team in the conference twice in a home and away tilt. The 11-week schedule starts on Nov. 29 for up to two games and resumes on Dec. 28. The regular season finale is on March 2.
The opening round of the Horizon League conference tournament will start on March 5 and 7. Semifinals and championship games will be played in Indianapolis on March 11 and 12.
The NKU men’s team is coming off their fourth league title in the last seven seasons while the women’s team is looking for their first ever conference championship, making it to the semifinals in the 2022-23 season.
The men open up with Robert Morris on Nov. 29 at Truist Arena, the women kicking things off with Cleveland State on Dec. 2 at Truist.
The men’s team opens their season on Nov. 6 at Middle Tennessee State University while the women host Indiana State on Nov. 6. The men’s team will also play at Washington on Nov. 9, at Cincinnati on Nov. 19, at Illinois State on Dec. 6 and host Akron on Dec. 9. They’ve also agreed to contests with Eastern Kentucky, Florida Atlantic and a multi-team event at Truist Arena with Long Island University and Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. They have two open slots for games if they choose to take them, a source saying they will be home games if so.
Other non-conference games officially listed on the women’s schedule include at Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 11 and a home game with Kentucky State on Dec. 9.
NKU Men’s Horizon League Schedule
Nov. 29 – Robert Morris at Northern Kentucky
Dec. 2 – Northern Kentucky at IUPUI
Dec. 29 – Northern Kentucky at Purdue Fort Wayne
Jan. 4 – Youngstown State at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 7 – Northern Kentucky at Cleveland State
Jan. 10 – Northern Kentucky at Oakland
Jan. 13 – Northern Kentucky at Detroit
Jan. 18 – Milwaukee at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 20 – Green Bay at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 25 – Purdue Fort Wayne at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 28 – Northern Kentucky at Youngstown State
Feb. 4 – Wright State at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 8 – Oakland at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 10 – Detroit at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 14 – Northern Kentucky at Green Bay
Feb. 17 – Northern Kentucky at Milwaukee
Feb. 22 – Cleveland State at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 25 – IUPUI at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 28 – Northern Kentucky at Robert Morris
Mar. 2 – Northern Kentucky at Wright State
NKU Women’s Horizon League Schedule
Dec. 2 – Cleveland State at Northern Kentucky
Dec. 29 – Northern Kentucky at Oakland
Jan. 1 – Northern Kentucky at Detroit
Jan. 5 – Green Bay at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 7 – Milwaukee at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 14 – Northern Kentucky at IUPUI
Jan. 17 – Robert Morris at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 20 – Wright State at Northern Kentucky
Jan. 24 – Northern Kentucky at Youngstown State
Jan. 27 – Northern Kentucky at Purdue Fort Wayne
Jan. 31 – Detroit at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 2 – Oakland at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 8 – Northern Kentucky at Green Bay
Feb. 10 – Northern Kentucky at Milwaukee
Feb. 14 – IUPUI at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 17 – Northern Kentucky at Wright State
Feb. 21- Purdue Fort Wayne at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 24 – Youngstown State at Northern Kentucky
Feb. 27 – Northern Kentucky at Robert Morris
Mar. 2 – Northern Kentucky at Cleveland State
