By JOHN McCALLUM
Managing Editor
CHENEY — The good thing about the Eastern Washington University men’s preliminary Big Sky Conference basketball scheduled released Oct. 14 is it calls for very little time on the bus.
Or a plane for that matter.
On Wednesday (Oct. 14) the Big Sky Presidents’ Council approved the league schedule, which will help limit travel because of the Covid-19 pandemic. League teams will typically play two games at a venue, with EWU’s schedule starting with games on Dec. 3 and Dec. 5 against Northern Arizona at Flagstaff, Ariz. Eastern will have 10 home games, starting New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) versus Portland State, followed by another home game versus the Vikings on Jan. 2.
A limited non-conference schedule has yet to be released by EWU, however, it will consist of limited games due to the early Big Sky Conference start. Athletics Director Lynn Hickey said Monday they are receiving invitations to several tournaments, but the amount of money being offered is dropping, leading to decisions about balancing travel expenses and potential risks to athletes of exposure to the coronavirus against financial benefits to the program.
“I think we’re going to have some opportunities, but that’s a work in progress,” Hickey said.
The Eagles began practices on Wednesday (Oct. 14) for the 2020-21 season, and the earliest date the National Collegiate Athletic Association is allowing NCAA Division I games to be played is Nov. 25.
Eastern’s conference schedule also includes home games versus Southern Utah (Jan. 14 and 16), Sacramento State (Jan. 28 and 30), Idaho (Feb. 6), Montana (Feb. 18) and Idaho State (March 4 and 6). The Eagles will also travel to Ogden, Utah, to play at Weber State (Jan. 7 and 9), Greeley, Colo., to play Northern Colorado (Jan. 21 and 23), Moscow, Idaho, to take on Idaho (Feb. 4), Bozeman, Mont., to play Montana (Feb. 11 and 13) and Missoula, Mont., to face Montana (Feb. 20).
Also announced last week was the Big Sky Conference schedule for the Eagles’ women’s team. Eastern opens the conference season Dec. 3 and 5 by hosting Northern Arizona. They resume the schedule Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 at Portland State, followed by a return home to take on Weber State Jan. 7 and 9.
The schedule also includes road games at Southern Utah, Jan. 14 and 16; Sacramento State, Jan. 28 and 30 and Idaho State, March 3 and 5. Home series include Northern Colorado, Jan. 21 and 23 and Montana State, Feb. 11 and 13.
Like the men, the Eastern women have home-away matchups with Idaho and Montana, hosting the Vandals Feb. 4 before traveling to Moscow, Feb. 6 and taking on the Grizzly in Missoula Feb. 18, turning around to play hosts on Feb. 20.
Hickey said the university was able to put together a home-and-away match up with Idaho and Moscow for both men’s and women’s programs because of the proximity to those schools, requiring less time not only on a bus but more important on plans. When Eastern flies, they use commercial airlines, not a charter, Hickey added.
All 11 league teams will advance to the Big Sky Conference Basketball Championships, to be held for the third consecutive year at recently re-named Idaho Central Arena (formerly CenturyLink Arena) in Boise, Idaho. The neutral-site tournament will run from March 10-13, 2021, and begins two days earlier for the women.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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