Men's Basketball Unveils 2016-17 Slate
Regis (Mass.) head men’s basketball coach Nate Hager unveiled his team’s 2016-17 schedule Tuesday morning. The schedule features 25 dates, including nine non-conference games.
WESTON, Mass. - Regis (Mass.) head men's basketball coach Nate Hager unveiled his team's 2016-17 schedule Tuesday morning. The schedule features 25 dates, including nine non-conference games.
"We've got a handful of tough tests this season," said Coach Hager. "It should prepare us well to leap into the (Great Northeast Athletic Conference) next season."
The Pride will square off with a pair of future GNAC foes in 2016-17, including Lasell for its season opener Nov. 15. Despite being separated by just four and a half miles, it will be the first all-time meeting between the two future rivals. On Jan. 5, the Colby-Sawyer Chargers will visit Higgins Court in the second GNAC preview for the Pride.
Coach Hager has two games circled on his calendar as "benchmark games" for his Pride, a Nov. 18 neutral site game against Fitchburg State at the Colby College Tip-Off Tournament, and neutral site game against Endicott at the Salem State Holiday Classic on Dec. 30. Last season both teams advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as Fitchburg State defeated Plattsburgh State by three in the opening round and Endicott beat Catholic University by eight to advance to the second round.
The Pride will play its first game on the newly renovated Higgins Court on Sunday, Nov. 27 against the Wheaton Lyons. "We've never beaten Wheaton before," said Hager. "That's a game we certainly need to play well in." Wheaton got the best of the Pride in their last meeting (Nov. 2015) by a score of 91-84. This season's contest will be the fifth all-time meeting between the schools.
Regis opens its final New England Collegiate Conference season with a pair of tough tests. They start their conference season by hosting defending champion Southern Vermont on Dec. 1, the team that ended the Pride's season a year ago. In the NECC semifinals, the Mountaineers bested the Pride 73-68 on their way to a conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Two days later, the Pride will have their second straight conference tester, as they travel to Daniel Webster. Twice last season, including in the NECC Quarterfinals, the Pride needed overtime to defeat the Eagles.
The Pride's regular season concludes on Feb. 16 when the team plays its final regular season NECC game on the road against Wheelock.
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