Samford Basketball Non-Conference Schedule Released: A Breakdown
The 2023-2024 Samford basketball team was arguably the best in program history. The first Southern Conference tournament title in school history and an NCAA Tournament appearance for Bucky McMillan and company.
Now Samford’s 2024 full non-conference schedule has been released as we turn the page to a new season. This season, Samford does not have to open with and line-up against the biggest man in college basketball, so that is a plus. There also are not nine consecutive home games either.
Samford does have two heavy hitters on this schedule against basically annual NCAA Tournament teams. The Bulldogs will travel to East Lansing to play the Michigan State Spartans on November 19. The Spartans were a nine seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. It will be the first ever meeting between Samford and Michigan State.
On December 18, Samford will take on the Arizona Wildcats. Arizona was a two seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost in the Sweet 16 to Clemson. They are playing their first season in the Big 12 which will be the best conference in college basketball. Samford last visited Tucson in 2006. Former Samford F Luke Champion is at Arizona as a walk-on. Champion played at Samford over the COVID season from 2020-2021.
One more intriguing road game is during the opening week of the season when Samford will travel to New York to take on the Cornell Big Red. Cornell finished 22-8 last season and lost in the first round of the NIT to Ohio State. This will also be the first ever meeting between the two programs.
The Samford hosted Multi-Team Event is back over Thanksgiving week where Samford will play three games inside the Pete Hanna Center. Samford will play North Dakota State, Utah Valley, and West Georgia. Utah Valley two seasons ago took UAB to the wire in the NIT Tournament final.
Apparently there is some important in-state football game on the last Saturday of Thanksgiving week so Samford will play on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Samford does play four teams that they played last season in Mississippi College, South Carolina State, Alabama A&M, and Texas Southern.
One may look at this schedule and think the home slate is light on high quality teams and that is accurate. However, in the college basketball scheduling world it is almost impossible for good mid-major programs to get games. Samford got lucky even getting Michigan State and Arizona to play them.
One matchup that should be an annual event between Samford and Belmont was not continued this season. UAB will not play Samford in what should be a no-doubt annual series. McNeese State would have been a great matchup against the American gangster in Will Wade. Wade did recruit Mountain Brook’s Trendon Watford to LSU when McMillan was at Mountain Brook.
Without change, this is the world we live in in regards to scheduling. The Southern Conference had to form a scheduling alliance with the Atlantic Sun to help each conference’s programs get opponents. That is why Samford goes to North Alabama and hosts Austin Peay.
The 2024-2025 basketball season is almost here and the expectations for Samford remain the same even with four of five starters departing from the SoCon title team. The SoCon will be extremely tough once again. As we get closer to the season, keep an eye for a basketball preview as we dive into the Samford roster and upcoming conference opponents.
Below is the full non-conference schedule along with each opponent’s 2023-2024 final KenPom ranking.
November 4 vs Mississippi College
KenPom: N/A
November 8 at Cornell
KP: 103
November 12 vs Rhodes College
KP: N/A
November 15 at North Alabama
KP: 252
November 17 vs Texas Southern
KP: 267
November 19 at Michigan State
KP: 16
November 26 vs North Dakota State
KP: 279
November 27 vs Utah Valley
KP: 162
November 29 vs West Georgia
KP: N/A
December 5 at South Carolina State
KP: 301
December 8 vs Austin Peay
KP: 245
December 18 at Arizona
KP: 6
December 21 at Alabama A&M
KP: 324
