Lincoln announces schedule for men's basketball

Three early season classics and two dates with the defending national champions highlight the Lincoln University men's basketball team's 2014-15 schedule, released on Monday.

For the third consecutive season, the Blue Tigers will open their slate with two games in Bolivar as part of the Southwest Baptist University Classic. Lincoln will begin 2014-15 on Friday, Nov. 14, with a game against Minnesota-Duluth before playing Southwest Oklahoma State the next day. Lincoln will also play in classics the following two weekends, including the Freeman Sports/Chris Tucker Memorial Classic on Nov. 21-22 in Joplin and the HBCU Classic on Nov. 28-29 in Memphis, Tenn.

In between those classics, Lincoln will play Maryville on Nov. 18 in St. Louis before opening its home slate Nov. 24 against Illinois-Springfield. A road rematch with UIS will close Lincoln's non-conference slate Dec. 1, and the Blue Tigers will open MIAA play with back-to-back road games against Northeastern State on Dec. 4 and Central Oklahoma on Dec. 6. Lincoln will close 2014 at home, hosting conference contests against Washburn on Dec. 18 and Nebraska-Kearney on Dec. 20.

Lincoln opens 2015 with road games against Emporia State on Jan. 3 and Pittsburg State on Jan. 5 before beginning a stretch of five home games for the next six contests. The Blue Tigers host Saturday contests against Fort Hays State on Jan. 10 and Missouri Southern on Jan. 17, but will take a break from Jason Gym to travel to Warrensburg on Jan. 21 for a tilt with defending NCAA Division II national champion Central Missouri. Lincoln closes January with home dates against Southwest Baptist on Jan. 24, Missouri Western on Jan. 29 and Northwest Missouri on Jan. 31.

The Blue Tigers will spend most of February on the road, with the only home games being rematches with Central Missouri on Feb. 11 and Lindenwood on Feb. 21. The Lions will be Lincoln's first opponent of the month, as the Blue Tigers play Feb. 4 at Lindenwood. The Blue Tigers will then play Northwest Missouri for the second time in eight days with a rematch Feb. 8 in Maryville. Lincoln also has road games Feb. 14 at Southwest Baptist and Feb. 18 at Missouri Western on before closing the season Feb. 28 at Missouri Southern.

All MIAA basketball and football games will be broadcast online through Stretch Internet, and live stats will be available at LUBlueTigers.com for each Lincoln home game.

The Blue Tigers are led by John Moseley, who begins his first season as the head coach of Lincoln. The team went 3-24 in 2013-14.