Skyhawks set eyes on second Division I season with 15 non-conference battles, four at Merkert Gymnasium, and 16 conference matchups, eight at home and eight on the road
Stonehill Men's Basketball 2023-24 Schedule
EASTON, Mass. (August 24, 2023) – Stonehill College men's basketball announced its 15-game non-conference schedule as well as its 16-game conference schedule in preparation for its second Northeast Conference season.
Stonehill, led by head coach Chris Kraus, '06 who embarks on his 11th year at the helm, will play four of their 15 non-conference games on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium. The team opens its 2023-24 season in the nation's capital against George Washington University on Monday, November 6 before returning home for the first game at Merkert Gym when Army West Point travels to North Easton.
Following the home opener, Stonehill will embark on a five-game road trip beginning with a rematch against National Champions, the University of Connecticut on November 11. The Skyhawks opened the 2022-23 season against the Huskies last season at the XL Center – the first of four games against March Madness participants in its first Division I season. After their trip to Hartford, Stonehill competes in the Wildcat Challenge hosted by the University of Kentucky, headlined by a matchup with the perennial National Championship contending Wildcats at historic Rupp Arena on Friday, November 17. The Skyhawks will first visit Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia on November 14, before wrapping up the Wildcat Classic at fellow Division I transitioning Texas A&M-Commerce on November 20. The Skyhawks conclude the road trip at Quinnipiac University on November 26, just over a year after a high-scoring bout at Merkert Gym last season in which the teams combined for 197 points.
Stonehill will host back-to-back America East opponents with UMass Lowell coming to Merkert Gym on November 29 followed by Binghamton University making the trip from New York on December 2. The Skyhawks played both teams on the road a year ago, falling to the River Hawks before beating the Bearcats with a buzzer-beater. Stonehill hits the road on December 6 for a meeting with Stony Brook followed by a meeting with Rider on December 8. On December 11, the Skyhawks will travel to Durham, N.H. to take on New Hampshire.
Stonehill comes home for another rematch from last season when the University of Hartford comes to Merkert Gym on December 17. Stonehill concludes their non-conference schedule with a trip down the East Coast to take on Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) member University of Miami - a Final Four team in April - on December 21. Their final non-conference matchup will be in Piscataqua, New Jersey on December 30 when they face the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University, an NIT participant lat season out of the Big-10 Conference.
Stonehill's Northeast Conference schedule will include eight games at Merkert Gym and eight games on the road. The Skyhawks finished 10-6 in conference play in their first Division I season, coming in third place in the NEC. With Stonehill now being eligible for the NEC Tournament, they begin their conference schedule by hosting Central Connecticut State University on Thursday, January 4.
Stonehill takes on last year's NCAA Tournament Cinderella story, FDU, at Merkert Gym on Friday, January 19. The Knights defeated No. 1 Purdue, 63-58, in the first round of March Madness, becoming the third No. 16 seed to complete the upset in the NCAA Tournament since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The 2023 NEC regular season champs, Merrimack College Warriors, come to North Easton on February 15.
Stonehill home and NEC games will be broadcast live on NEC Front Row - the NEC's digital broadcast platform. Online ticketing for the 2023-24 season will be available in the coming weeks.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
