A Grueling Nonconference Road
Eastern Washington University’s men’s and women’s basketball programs are preparing for a demanding 2026‑27 nonconference schedule that blends home tournaments, extensive road trips and a mix of Division I and NAIA opponents.
The men’s team opens the season on the West Coast, traveling to Stanford before returning home to face Oregon and Oregon State. Head coach Dan Monson, who last year criticized an overloaded slate, now notes a modest improvement in February’s play, while women’s coach Joddie Gleason acknowledges that the schedule is not ideal but is part of the league’s structure.
After a home victory over NAIA Corban on November 13, the Eagles embark on a western road swing that includes stops in Utah, Nevada’s UNLV, Los Angeles’ LMU and Wyoming, before confronting Portland State and Northern Colorado in their first two Big Sky contests.
Coaches React to the New Landscape
The women’s side will host five games at Reese Court, meeting UC Davis, Walla Walla, UC Irvine, Whitworth and Gonzaga, and will also travel to San Juan to compete in the Puerto Rico Clasico against Chicago State and Cleveland State.
The recent expansion of the Big Sky Conference to eleven teams, following Sacramento State’s departure and the addition of Utah Tech and Southern Utah, has reshaped the league’s scheduling calculus, resulting in a record number of Monday night games for both squads.
Both coaches acknowledge the logistical strain: the men’s team avoids consecutive road games during conference play, though a Saturday‑Monday stretch to Northern Arizona and Idaho State remains a hurdle, while the women’s team will endure three straight road games in two separate windows.
Importantly, the Eagles will not stage doubleheaders this season, a departure from previous years when they regularly hosted back‑to‑back contests against Northern Arizona and Idaho.