Indiana State University has unveiled its non‑conference schedule for the 2026‑27 men’s basketball season, a slate that blends home contests, road trips and a three‑game tournament abroad. The plan features two exhibition games before the regular season begins, a series of home and away matchups, and a stint in the U.S. Virgin Islands that will test the team early in the campaign.
Exhibitions to open the campaign
The first exhibition will see the Sycamores host Butler on Saturday, October 10, followed by a road test against Rose‑Hulman Institute of Technology the next weekend. These early games provide a chance for head coach Matthew Graves to fine‑tune his roster before the regular season begins.
Regular‑season play opens on Monday, November 2, when Charlotte visits the Hulman Center. The team then travels to Ball State on Friday, November 6, and hosts Milwaukee on Wednesday, November 11, before a home game against Earlham on Saturday, November 14.
Island competition and later road trips
From November 20‑23 the Sycamores will compete in the Paradise Jam on St. Thomas, hosted by the University of the Virgin Islands. The tournament will bring three opponents to the island, after which the team returns home to face IU Columbus on November 28.
The schedule continues with a December 2 visit from SIUE, a December 6 showdown against Southern Indiana, a December 12 road game at Oregon, and a final regular‑season test at Kansas on December 22.
The season also recalls a historic 66‑48 victory over Oregon in 1946, while the Kansas contest marks the first ever meeting between the two programs. Together, these elements create a demanding non‑conference slate that should ready the Sycamores for the challenges of conference play.