Winthrop releases 2017-18 men’s basketball schedule

Winthrop’s full 2017-18 men’s basketball schedule was released Sept. 7 after months of fans trying to cobble it together by cross-checking other schools’ earlier releases.

The Big South released its league schedule Thursday, the missing and substantial final piece of Winthrop’s schedule.

Highlights include the Homecoming game against Central Penn on Nov. 18 and road games against KenPom.com top-100 teams Colorado State (86), Auburn (82), Georgia (61) and Virginia Commonwealth (48) before January. The Eagles begin their Big South title defense at home against High Point on Dec. 30.

Retaining its conference title will be a challenge for a reshaped Winthrop. Pat Kelsey’s roster has seven new names on it, but plenty of talent incoming and returning, including preseason player of the year candidate Xavier Cooks and sibling guards Anders and Bjorn Broman.

2017 Winthrop men’s basketball schedule

November: 10 Southern Illinois; 14 at Colorado State; 18 Central Penn; 21 Mars Hill; 24 at Auburn; 26 South Carolina State; 29 at Furman

December: 2 Reinhardt; 5 at Georgia; 16 at Alabama State; 19 at VCU; 30 High Point

January: 3 at Radford; 6 at Campbell; 9 Liberty; 12 at Charleston Southern; 15 Gardner-Webb; 18 UNC Asheville; 21 at Presbyterian; 24 at Longwood; 27 Campbell

February: 1 at Liberty; 3 Radford; 7 Presbyterian; 10 at High Point; 15 at Gardner-Webb; 18 Longwood; 22 at UNC Asheville; 24 Charleston Southern.

This story was originally published September 7, 2017 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Winthrop releases 2017-18 men’s basketball schedule."