![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/KaseyShamis-15-1-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Kasey Shamis | The Triangle<\/p>\nPhoto by Kasey Shamis | The Triangle<\/p>\n
The Drexel men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball non-conference schedules have been released, with the start of the season less than two months away. Expectations for both teams are unclear as the NIL and transfer portal era of college athletics makes every season a rebuilding year for mid-major programs. However, the non-conference schedule both teams have put together leaves much to analyze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s Basketball:<\/p>\n
Widener: Nov. 3 (Home)<\/p>\n
Saint Joe\u2019s: Nov. 8 (Away)<\/p>\n
Colgate: Nov. 11 (Away)<\/p>\n
Syracuse: Nov. 15 (Xfinity Mobile Arena)<\/p>\n
NJIT: Nov. 18 (Home)<\/p>\n
Penn: Nov. 21 (Home)<\/p>\n
Old Dominion: Nov. 23 (Home)<\/p>\n
Morgan State: Nov. 25 (Away)<\/p>\n
American: Dec. 3 (Away)<\/p>\n
Big 5 Classic: Dec. 6 (Xfinity Mobile Arena)<\/p>\n
Howard: Dec. 16 (Home)<\/p>\n
Mount St. Mary\u2019s: Dec. 19 (Home)<\/p>\n
Maine: Dec. 21 (Home)<\/p>\n
To call this schedule underwhelming would be an overstatement. In both name recognition and even the dates themselves, this non-conference slate will do little to build much-needed enthusiasm about this program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with the obvious. Outside of the Big 5 pod games \u2013 which were already built into Drexel\u2019s schedule \u2013 this is a ten-game stretch of games against programs that students will probably have to Google prior to tip-off. Someone inside of Drexel Athletics will have to explain to me how a home opener against a Division III opponent\u00a0 contributes to building excitement amongst the student body. Apathy is being fostered in every new Dragon when the program fails to show they care about playing meaningful games.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Outside of their Big 5 games, Drexel\u2019s non-conference opponents had an average ranking of 270th in the nation last season. Yuck. Realistically, the Dragons could, and probably should, walk into conference play with 10 wins.<\/p>\n
There is exactly one game that students might be excited about, and that is a Nov. 15 game against the Kiyan Anthony-led Syracuse Orange. Even if Anthony brings some buzz to this game, this is a game that Syracuse books because they think they can play in an NBA arena and secure an easy win. Even if Drexel does win, which they of course could, Syracuse is far from the Syracuse of Jim Boeheim. Last year, the Orange were the 104th-best team in the country according to sports-reference.com<\/a>\u2019s rating system. But, hey, maybe Carmelo Anthony will be courtside for a Drexel basketball game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Another frustrating aspect of this schedule is that many of the home games fall when students are on break. In fact, after the Dec. 6 Big 5 Classic, there are three straight home games where Drexel students will be away for a much-needed winter break.\u00a0<\/p>\n Overall, this schedule fails to meet the moment. Drexel men\u2019s basketball wants to be taken seriously by its students. The team has generally been better than students give it credit for. Drexel\u2019s CAA peer schools have had no trouble scheduling legitimate non-conference schedules for themselves, so why haven\u2019t the Dragons?\u00a0<\/p>\n Women\u2019s Basketball:<\/p>\n Pitt: Nov. 4 (Away)<\/p>\n Marist: Nov. 7 (Away)<\/p>\n Penn: Nov. 12 (Home)<\/p>\n Loyola (MD): Nov. 16 (Home)<\/p>\n Lehigh: Nov. 19 (Away)<\/p>\n NJIT: Nov. 22 (Away)<\/p>\n St. Joe\u2019s: Nov. 29 (Away)<\/p>\n American: Dec. 3 (Home)<\/p>\n Big 5 Classic: Dec. 7 (Villanova)<\/p>\n Chestnut Hill: Dec. 16 (Home)<\/p>\n Vermont: Dec. 20 (Home)<\/p>\n This is a pretty nice non-conference schedule!\u00a0<\/p>\n