Revised MAAC Basketball Schedule Released, Quinnipiac Opens With Manhattan

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Ross Meglin



The 2020-2021 MAAC Basketball schedules are out — with a new format.

The revised slates provide weekly games on Fridays and Saturdays at the same arena for both games. The men’s and women’s programs are mirroring each other so while one team is away, the other will be at home.

Conference play begins on Dec. 11 and 12 but not for Quinnipiac. The Bobcats will start off on a bye week.

The men’s MAAC opener is at home against Manhattan on Dec. 18 and 19 while the women start on the road against the Jaspers.

The MAAC schedule features 20 MAAC games.

The men will face three teams with losing records from a year ago in their first three matchups. The first of those teams however is Manhattan. The Jaspers, who ranked ahead of the Bobcats in the preseason coaches’ poll, are a physical team who matched up well with the Bobcats last season.

The big test will come on Jan. 15 and 16 when Quinnipiac travels to Monmouth, who was 12-8 in conference play last season, followed by Rider at home on Jan. 22 and 23. Rider also held a 12-8 record in 2019-2020. The Bobcats won’t see preseason favorite Siena until Feb. 19 and 20.

In addition to the 20 MAAC conference games, Quinnipiac will face four non-conference opponents, opening the season on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at home against Fairleigh Dickinson and against Maine on Sunday, Nov. 29.

The Bobcats will also be playing in the Basketball Hall of Fame tip-off tournament at Mohegan Sun playing against Drexel on Dec. 2 and Albany on Dec. 4.

The Quinnipiac women, playing the inverse of the men’s schedule, will take the first weekend of the conference season to prepare for their opener against Manhattan, the preseason favorite, on Dec. 18 and 19.

The schedule’s final weekend sees a potential conference-deciding matchup with Fairfield, which tied Quinnipiac for second in the preseason poll, in Hamden on Mar. 5 and 6.

Tricia Fabbri’s squad has yet to announce its full non-conference schedule but will be facing UConn on Nov. 28 and either Mississippi State or Maine on Nov. 29 at Mohegan Sun.