By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin head men’s basketball coach Ryan Ridder has announced his squad’s complete 2023-24 schedule, filled out with 13 nonconference games featuring schools from 10 different leagues.
Seven of the Skyhawks’ 2023-24 opponents posted winning records last season, five of which qualified for the postseason (two NCAA Tournament teams, three College Basketball Invitational participants). UT Martin plays five nonconference home games and will visit seven different states to play eight nonconference road/neutral-site contests. The Skyhawks will also face three first-time opponents (Rice, Ecclesia and NC State) this upcoming season.
Year Three of the Ridder Era begins at home on Nov. 6 against Champion Christian, facing the NCCAA program out of Hot Springs, Ark. for the second straight season. UT Martin then heads to reigning NCAA Tournament participant Mississippi State on Nov. 11, visiting Starkville, Miss. for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign. The third game in the season’s first eight days is set for Nov. 13 against Brescia, a NAIA school located in Owensboro, Ky.
The next two Skyhawk contests will take place in Richmond, Ky. as UT Martin visits former Ohio Valley Conference rival (and 2023 CBI runner-up) Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 17. Two days later, the Skyhawks will face Prairie View A&M for the second straight year.
For the first time since 1991, UT Martin will face former Gulf South Conference foe North Alabama when the 2023 CBI participant visits the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center on Nov. 22.
A three-game road trip starts on Nov. 25 in the Windy City as the Skyhawks face Chicago State for the second consecutive year. UT Martin heads to Houston, Texas to take on 2023 CBI participant Rice to close out the month of November before heading to Lake Charles, La. for a return matchup from last season against McNeese on Dec. 2.
Next on the docket is a Dec. 10 home matchup against NCCAA member Ecclesia, who is based out of Springdale, Ark. The Skyhawks travel to 2023 NCAA Tournament squad NC State on Dec. 12 while the final nonconference road game is set for Dec. 18 at Evansville.
UT Martin hosts NAIA opponent William Woods for the first time since 2010 on Dec. 20, wrapping up nonconference play before the 18-game OVC schedule kicks in eight days later.
The OVC unveiled its basketball schedule on Aug. 21. The Skyhawks will collide against Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Little Rock, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and league newcomer Western Illinois for home-and-home series while facing SIUE (away) and Southern Indiana (home) one time apiece. The 10-week OVC calendar runs through March 2 before the league’s top eight teams advance to the OVC Championship tournament, which will be take place on March 6-9 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. for the seventh consecutive year.
To view the complete 2023-24 UT Martin men’s basketball schedule, click here: https://utmsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information
