2015-16 GVSU Men's Basketball Schedule

The Grand Valley State men's basketball team has traveled to Cincinnati and Iowa State for recent exhibition games in separate years, but the Lakers will up the ante this November. GVSU will take on both the Bearcats and Cyclones in a four-day stretch of exhibition games prior to the start of the 2015-16 season.
 
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, the Lakers will head to Ohio to face Cincinnati, a Division I opponent out of the American Athletic Conference. Last season, the Bearcats went 23-11 and dropped a 64-51 decision to Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Three days later - on Friday, Nov. 6 - Grand Valley State will travel to Ames, Iowa to take on the Cyclones of Iowa State. In 2014-15, ISU posted a 25-9 record and defeated Kansas to win the Big 12 Championship. The Cyclones were upended by UAB in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, falling 60-59.
 
Game times have not been determined for either contest.
 
Every season during head coach Ric Wesley's 12-year tenure, the Lakers have scheduled strong Division I opponents in exhibition games. Continuing with that theme this season, Wesley is excited about the preseason schedule.
 
"We are very excited and appreciative to have the opportunity to play against these two outstanding programs," Wesley explained. "These games give us a chance to play tremendous competition and should help us get ready for the regular season."
 
Grand Valley State has been to both of these venues during Wesley's career. In 2012-13, GVSU fell by an 80-60 score at Cincinnati, but trailed 71-60 with just over three minutes to play. The previous year - the 2011-12 season - the Lakers lost an exhibition game at Iowa State by a 77-62 final score.
 
"The University of Cincinnati is always one of the top teams in the American Athletic Conference and has made five consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament," Wesley noted.
 
A member of the Iowa State coaching staff for 14 seasons, Wesley also looks forward to the trip back to Ames. "Iowa State will be picked to be one of the top teams in the nation next season under new head coach Steve Prohm," said Wesley. "I still have many friends in Ames, while Hilton Coliseum has become one of the premier venues in all of college basketball."
 
In addition to Cincinnati and Iowa State, the Lakers have also faced Michigan State five times in exhibition games during Wesley's tenure, as well as Dayton, Utah, Detroit, and Michigan.
GVSU begins the 2015-16 regular season with seven consecutive home games. The Lakers open up with the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge against Quincy and Missouri-St. Louis on Nov. 14-15 in Allendale.