Games at West Virginia, Xavier and Michigan highlight the non-conference men’s basketball schedule announced Monday on the Norse Athletics website.

Norse Head Coach John Brannen announced the 11-game non-conference schedule. The regular season opens with a trip to Morgantown, West Virginia to play the Mountaineers. West Virginia defeated Northern Kentucky 67-42 last season.

In addition, the Norse will take on regional foe Xavier on Nov. 23. According to the university, it will be the first basketball meeting between the two schools since the 1978-79 season.

A visit to Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan awaits the Norse for a Dec. 15 showdown with the Wolverines.

“I’m excited for the nonconference schedule that we’ve put together,” Brannen said in a release on nkunorse.com. “We wanted to schedule a slate of games that would challenge our team and prepare us to enter our first season in the Horizon League.”

NKU will open its home schedule November 17 against Tiffin at BB&T Arena. A Nov. 21 showdown with Morehead State precedes the showdown with Xavier.

Start times for the games, as well as the Horizon League portion of the schedule will be announced at a later date.

NKU Men’s Non-conference schedule:

Saturday, Nov. 7 (exhibition) HOME vs. Ohio Northern

Friday, Nov. 13 at West Virginia

Tuesday, Nov. 17 HOME vs. Tiffin

Saturday, Nov. 21 HOME vs. Morehead State

Monday, Nov. 23 at Xavier

Monday, Nov. 30 at North Carolina A&T

Saturday, Dec. 5 at Eastern Illinois

Sunday, Dec. 13 HOME vs. Norfolk State

Tuesday, Dec. 15 at Michigan

Saturday, Dec. 19 HOME vs. Southeast Missouri State

Wednesday, Dec. 23 HOME vs. IU-Kokomo

Wednesday, Dec. 30 at Toledo