WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth University Men's Basketball and Head Coach King Rice have announced the 2019-20 non-conference schedule. The 11-game slate includes trips to three high-major programs as well as three home games. Six of the 11 teams the Hawks will face won 20 or more games a season ago, with four of them competing in national postseason tournaments (2 NCAA/2 NIT).

"We're excited about the challenging schedule we've put together," said Rice. "We play some really good teams right from the start. We just can't wait to get started on this challenge we have in front of us."

The Hawks open the 2019 season against Lehigh for the second consecutive season, this time doing so on the road on November 5^th.  The Hawks defeated the Mountain Hawks 80-72 the last time they met in Bethlehem, PA two seasons ago. MU then returns to Long Island on November 9^th for the second year in a row to play Hofstra after battling the Pride in one of the most competitive games in last year's non-league stretch.
 
King Rice's squad embarks on a long road trip to begin the second week of the season, taking on three high-major programs in the process. The Hawks take on Kansas State, an NCAA Tournament team last season, in Manhattan on November 13^th before traveling across the state to Lawrence and the Kansas Jayhawks on the 15^th at historic Allen Fieldhouse. The swing concludes in Pittsburgh, where MU will play the ACC's Panthers on Monday, November 18.

As part of the previously announced MAAC/ASUN Challenge, Monmouth has dates set with Kennesaw State and Stetson on November 22 and 23 in Orlando, FL at HP Fieldhouse on the complex of ESPN's Wide World of Sports. The last time MU competed there in 2015, the Hawks took third in the AdvoCare Invitational as Justin Robinson set the tournament scoring record and was named MVP.

The home opener comes on November 26 against Radford, followed by a date the next night with Norfolk State leading right into the Thanksgiving holiday. A quick December sees the Blue and White head to Princeton on December 10^th to continue the in-state rivalry with the Tigers before concluding non-league play with a home date against Albany on December 21.

The games at Kansas State and Pittsburgh as well as the pair of home games against Radford and Norfolk State are part of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Tournament. The OceanFirst Bank Center will host a separate game as part of the tournament, with Norfolk State taking on Caldwell College on November 26^th.

2019-20 Monmouth Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

DATE                                        OPPONENT                                           LOCATION
November 5                                Lehigh                                                 Bethlehem, PA
November 9                             Hofstra                                                 Hempstead, NY
November 13                           Kansas State                                         Manhattan, KS
November 15                           Kansas                                                  Lawrence, KS
November 18                           Pittsburgh                                            Pittsburgh, PA
November 22                           Kennesaw State                                    Orlando, FL
November 23                           Stetson                                                Orlando, FL
November 26                           Radford                                                West Long Branch, NJ
November 27                           Norfolk State                                        West Long Branch, NJ
December 10                           Princeton                                             Princeton, NJ
December 21                           Albany                                                  West Long Branch, NJ