Redhawks release complete 2024-25 MBB schedule

A basketball rests on the Ohio Valley Conference logo on the court at the Show Me Center.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

After a long wait, the non-conference portion of the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball schedule has been released.

The road schedule is highlighted by the Redhawks' trip to Nashville to face a Vanderbilt team 9-23 season (similar to SEMO's 9-22 record in numbers only) and a new coaching era.

The non-conference slate brings up the total number of home games to 15, the same number as last year. SEMO hosts former Redhawk Adam Larson and Chattanooga on Nov. 17 and Kansas City on Nov. 30.

SEMO's season will start with a road game at Bradley on Nov. 4, and will also travel to Lipscomb on Dec. 5 and Murray State on Dec. 8. The Redhawks will play Central Arkansas (Nov. 21) and UNC Ashville (Nov. 22) in Conway, Ark.

The Redhawks will also host three contests against non-D1 opponents, starting with their home opening matchup against Crowley's Ridge College on Wednesday. Nov. 13.

SEMO athletic director Brady Barke said the athletics programs rely on their basketball teams, both men and women, making trips to higher-tier opponents and it doesn't require much to bring in nearby non-D1 programs to their building to keep their home game totals at a viable number.

"I know sometimes our fans don't think those are the most attractive games for them to be able to come and watch," Barke said, "but there's a reason for them. We're trying to offset a lot of road games. We're trying to give our program an opportunity to be able to work on some things and build after they've gone on the road and probably played top-50 programs."

Interestingly enough, the top three attended non-conference home games last year were against Bethel (1,423), Harris-Stowe (1,563), and Lindsey Wilson (1,869).

"And they're not things that we lose money out of," Barke said. "It's kind of what makes it all work for us."

One thing that is missing from the schedule for the second consecutive season is their rivalry matchup with Southern Illinois. The last time the two rivals played, the Salukis narrowly won 70-68 at the Show Me Center during a season in which the Redhawks went on to win the Ohio Valley Conference and make their second-ever March Madness appearance.

"We are certainly interested in playing them," Barke said. "We understand the rivalry so to speak. We understand the fan interest in playing the game. I would have loved to have seen it on the schedule."

There is a possibility that in men's basketball, it is more of a rivalry for SEMO than it is for SIU, which has an athletic director entering his third year and a head coach just starting.

"Sometimes it doesn't work out," Barke said. "I certainly hope moving forward we're able to find a way to get them back on the schedule and get home-and-homes because I think it's a good matchup. I think it's good for fans because of the proximity and something that we should be doing."

For mid-major programs like SEMO, the conference portion is what matters the most. The 11-team OVC shift its schedule to a true round-robin slate of 20 games this season, after being 18 games a year ago.

The Redhawks will have nine home games against OVC opponents, starting with Eastern Illinois at home on Dec. 19.

As far as women's basketball is concerned, while that schedule has not been released yet, there are clues provided by the other teams. The Redhawks will host Southern Illinois on Nov. 25 and Indiana State on Nov. 30. They will also travel to Dayton on Nov. 5, Evansville on Nov. 14, and Arkansas on Dec. 8.