SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana basketball programs have announced their 2023-24 schedules with the two teams combining to play 26 home contests over 13 doubleheader dates. Augustana men's basketball is under the direction of head coach Tom Billeter for his 21^st season while the women's program will be led by Jillian Flores Bennett, her first year at the helm of the Vikings.
 
Nonconference Action
In 2023-24, every game played in Sioux Falls will be a doubleheader, including a pair of nonconference weekends. On Nov. 25, the Viking women will host Dakota Wesleyan while the men's program plays host to Grandview. On Dec. 30, the two squads will again play a doubleheader of nonconference play with the women's team hosting Northwestern College and the men welcoming Briar Cliff.
 
Other key nonconference dates include Flores Bennett's debut as Augustana's head coach on Nov. 16 as AU travels to perennial central region contender Central Missouri.
 
The Augustana men open their season Nov. 10-11 in St. Joseph, Missouri, at the Tip-Off Classic hosted by Missouri Western. AU opens with the host team on Nov. 10 and follows with Southeastern Oklahoma State on Nov. 11. The Vikings then continue on the road Nov. 17-18 at the East/West Shootout, hosted this year at South Dakota Mines. Augustana first plays against back-to-back NCAA Division II Final Four participant Black Hills State, then concludes East/West action against South Dakota Mines.
 
NSIC Play
Augustana's NSIC opener is a home contest against Sioux Falls on Nov. 21. The women's game will mark the first official home contest for Flores Bennett, and the doubleheader will be played on the campus of Augustana, inside the Elmen Center.
 
After both squads step out of NSIC action over Thanksgiving, league play resumes Dec. 1-2 with road games at Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldog women finished as the national runner-up a year ago while the Bulldog men were ousted in the Elite 8 by the aforementioned BHSU team.
 
Augustana returns home Dec. 8-9 for the first games inside the Sanford Pentagon in 2023-24. Minnesota State is the foe on Dec. 8 while Winona State serves as the visitor on Dec. 9.
 
With a few schedule changes in the NSIC slate for 2023-24, Augustana travels to Wayne State on Dec. 13. After the brief road trip, AU is back on Heritage Court in the Sanford Pentagon to close out the pre-holiday schedule by hosting Southwest Minnesota State on Dec. 16.
 
NSIC play resumes in 2024 with Augustana hosting new travel partners MSU Moorhead and Minnesota Crookston. The Dragons will battle the Vikings on Jan. 5 while Jan. 6 is a contest between AU and UMC.
 
The squads then embark on a four-game road trip by traveling to UMary and Northern State on Jan. 12-13, respectively, and close the trip by heading to Bemidji State and St. Cloud State on Jan. 19-20.
 
As another part of the schedule changes, Minot State comes to Augustana on Thursday, Jan. 25 to start a three-game homestand for AU. That home slate concludes Feb. 2-3 as Minnesota Duluth and Concordia-St. Paul make return trips to Sioux Falls.
 
Back-to-back weekends on the road close out the Vikings' regular season road schedule. On Feb. 9, Augustana is at Winona State. The following night, the Vikings are at Minnesota State. The Vikings are then at Minnesota Crookston on Feb. 16 and MSU Moorhead on Feb. 17.
 
The regular season concludes Feb. 23-24 as Northern State and UMary travel to the Sanford Pentagon for Augustana's alumni weekend and Senior Night.
 
For the third-straight year, there will be an alteration of tipoff times for NSIC contests. For half of the season, the men will play the first game of the doubleheader while the women will play the first game of the doubleheader in the other half of the season. Fans are encouraged to check the schedule page for the most up-to-date start times.