Men's basketball learns conference portion of 2021-22 schedule
Tony Barbee's team now knows its conference schedule heading into the 2021-22 season.
Barbee, Central Michigan's first year men's basketball coach, will lead his team into a 20-game Mid-American Conference slate. His team will play 10 games apiece at home and on the road. The program released its loaded non-conference portion of the schedule earlier in August.
The Chippewas open conference play on a two-game road swing, playing at Kent State Dec. 28 and Miami (Ohio) Jan. 1. Barbee will coach his first home conference game Jan. 4 against Toledo. CMU remains at home Jan. 8 when it hosts Western Michigan.
Following the showdown with the Broncos, Barbee and company return to the road with a trip to Eastern Michigan on Jan. 11. The reigning MAC tournament champions, Ohio, come to McGuirk Arena Jan. 15.
CMU travels to Buffalo Jan. 18 before returning home to host Ball State Jan. 22 and Akron Jan. 25. On Jan. 29, the Chippewas travel to Northern Illinois. After that, it's a return home to face both Bowling Green, on Feb. 1, and Buffalo Feb. 5.
The Chippewas return to the road to face Ball State on Feb. 8 and then travel to Kalamazoo for a rematch with WMU Feb. 12. CMU hosts EMU on Feb. 15 and then hits the road for another two-game road trip. First, it's Toledo on Feb. 19 and then Ohio on Feb. 22.
The three final conference games for Barbee's squad are home tilts with Kent State (Feb. 26) and Miami (Ohio) (March 1) and a road game at Akron (March 4).
The MAC Tournament will begin with the quarterfinals March 10 and conclude with the championship March 12.
Here is the complete schedule for CMU's 2021-22 men's basketball season:
Nov. 6 Olivet (Ex.)
Nov. 9 Missouri
Nov 13. DePaul
Nov. 15 Eastern Illinois
Nov. 22 Gonzaga*
Nov. 23 Bellarmine*
Nov. 29 Kentucky
Dec. 1 Xavier
Dec. 5 Western Illinois
Dec. 8 Youngstown State
Dec. 11 UIC
Dec. 18 Detroit Mercy
Dec. 28 Kent State
Jan. 1 Miami (Ohio)
Jan. 4 Toledo
Jan. 8 Western Michigan
Jan. 11 Eastern Michigan
Jan. 15 Ohio
Jan. 18 Buffalo
Jan. 22 Ball State
Jan. 25 Akron
Jan. 29 Northern Illinois
Feb. 1 Bowling Green
Feb. 5 Buffalo
Feb. 8 Ball State
Feb. 12 Western Michigan
Feb. 15 Eastern Michigan
Feb. 19 Toledo
Feb. 22 Ohio
Feb. 26 Kent State
March 1 Miami (Ohio)
March 4 Akron
Home games in bold
* 2021 Empire Classic game (In Las Vegas, Nevada)
