Both St. Joe's and La Salle men's basketball programs on Wednesday released their non-conference schedules for the 2016-2017 season.
For the Hawks, the season opens with two games at Hagan Arena, on Nov. 12 against Toledo and on Nov. 14 against Columbia. St. Joe's will face another Ivy League member in Princeton, Dec. 14 on the road. Princeton and Columbia finished second and third respectively in the Ivy League, posting a 47-17 combined record.
St. Joe's will participate in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin, Islands, from Nov. 18- 21. Loyola Chicago, Ole Miss, Oral Roberts, Creighton, Montana, and Washington State are the other teams in the competition.
The Hawks also have four games against Philadelphia teams, home vs. Temple on Nov. 30, at Villanova on Dec. 3, Dec. 11 at Drexel, and vs. Penn on Jan. 21 at the Palestra.
After finishing fourth in regular season play, St. Joe's won the Atlantic 10 championship last year. The Hawks were ultimately knocked out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by No. 1 seed Oregon, 69-64.
The full non-conference schedule:
Nov. 12 vs. Toledo
Nov. 14 at Columbia
Nov. 18 vs. Loyola-Chicago*
Nov. 19 or Sun. Nov. 20 vs. Ole Miss/Oral Roberts
Mon., Nov. 21 TBA (Paradise Jam)
Nov. 30 vs. Temple
Dec. 3 at Villanova
Dec. 11 at Drexel
Dec. 14 at Princeton
Dec. 18 at Illinois State
Dec. 21 Lafayette
Jan. 21 vs. Penn**
*Paradise Jam, St. Thomas, V.I.
** at the Palestra
Like St. Joe's, La Salle's non-conference schedule includes several games against Philadelphia opposition.
The Explorers open their season on Nov. 11 at Temple and play their first home game on Nov. 16 vs. Delaware. La Salle also faces Drexel on the road (Nov. 27), Villanova at the Palestra (Dec. 6), and Penn at home on Jan. 25.
La Salle hosts two other Pennsylvania teams, both from the Patriot League: Lehigh on Nov. 30 and Bucknell on Dec. 3.
Outside of reigning national champions Villanova, the biggest name on La Salle's schedule is Georgetown. The Explorers face against the Hoyas on Dec. 10 in the HoopHall Invitational at American Airlines Arena, the home of the Miami Heat.
“Once again, our schedule features several traditionally elite teams nationally and other winning programs that annually compete for conference championships,” head coach Dr. John Giannini said in a statement. “This combination should provide us with many challenges and a strong strength of schedule for postseason consideration.”
Giannini will be hoping his team can improve upon its 9-22 overall mark last season. The Explorers finished the regular season last in the A-10 at 4-14, though they did make a run to the third round of the conference tournament.
La Salle's full non-conference schedule:
Nov. 11 at Temple
Nov. 16 vs. Delaware
Nov. 19 vs. Texas Southern
Nov. 27 at Drexel
Nov. 30 vs Lehigh
Dec. 3 vs. Bucknell
Dec. 6 vs. Villanova *
Dec. 10 vs. Georgetown **
Dec. 17 vs. Florida Gulf Coast
Dec. 22 at Mercer
Jan. 25 vs. Penn
* at the Palestra
** at American Airlines Arena in Miami