KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO) – As with the WMU Football Team, there is a lot expected out of the Men’s Basketball Team this season. Coach Steve Hawkins returns all 5 starters and loses only 1 senior from last year’s squad, which finished 21-13 and won the MAC West Title. But before the Broncos can repeat as MAC West Champs and look to improve on last season, they must get through their schedule. On Wednesday the Broncos released their 2011-2012 schedule.

This year’s non-conference schedule will be tough, as the Broncos travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament November 16-20, and Spokane, Washington to face Gonzaga on November 26^th and to Durham, North Carolina to take on the Duke Blue Devils December 30^th.

The Broncos open up regular season play November 12^th in Brookings, South Dakota to take on South Dakota State and open at home on November 30^th against Hope College.

The Broncos will also be featured on the ESPN family of networks at least 4 times (3 times for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and at Duke), and will also be on Fox Sports Detroit Twice (At Detroit and at Oakland).

 The Broncos will take on at least five teams (Temple, Gonzaga, Oakland, Duke, and Akron) that made it to the NCAA Tournament in 2010.  In addition to those teams, the Broncos could play as many as six other teams that reached postseason play last season.

Listed below is the complete schedule for the WMU Men’s Basketball Team:

Date    Opponent                              Location                        Time

Nov. 2   KALAMAZOO COLLEGE (ex.) Kalamazoo, Mich. 7 p.m.

Nov. 5   NORTHWOOD (ex.)                Kalamazoo, Mich. 2 p.m.

Nov. 12 at South Dakota State           Brookings, S.D.      8 p.m.

ESPN Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament • November 16 - 20, 2011 • San Juan, P.R.

Nov. 17 vs. Temple                               San Juan, P.R.         11:30 a.m.

Nov. 18 vs. Iona/Purdue                      San Juan, P.R.         TBA

Nov. 20 vs. Alabama/Colorado/Wichita State/Maryland San Juan, P.R. TBA

Nov. 26 at Gonzaga                              Spokane, Wash.     4 p.m.

Nov. 30 HOPE COLLEGE                       Kalamazoo, Mich.  7 p.m.

Dec. 8 at Detroit                                   Detroit, Mich.         7 p.m.

Dec. 11 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS              Kalamazoo, Mich.  2 p.m.

Dec. 17 DUQUESNE                              Kalamazoo, Mich. 2 p.m.

Dec. 20 WINTHROP                              Kalamazoo, Mich. 7 p.m.

Dec. 23 at Oakland                              Rochester, Mich.   7 p.m.

Dec. 30 at Duke                                   Durham, N.C.         7 p.m.

Jan. 3 MILWAUKEE                             Kalamazoo, Mich.  7 p.m.

Jan. 7 at Ball State*                            Muncie, Ind.           TBA

Jan. 11 NORTHERN ILLINOIS*           Kalamazoo, Mich.   7 p.m.

Jan. 14 TOLEDO*                                Kalamazoo, Mich.   2 p.m.

Jan. 18 at Eastern Michigan*          Ypsilanti, Mich.        TBA

Jan. 21 CENTRAL MICHIGAN*          Kalamazoo, Mich.   2 p.m.

Jan. 25 at Ohio*                                 Athens, Ohio           TBA

Jan. 28 MIAMI (OH)*                       Kalamazoo, Mich.   2 p.m.

Feb. 1 BOWLING GREEN*              Kalamazoo, Mich.    7 p.m.

Feb. 4  at Kent State*                     Kent, Ohio                TBA

Feb. 8 AKRON*                                Kalamazoo, Mich.    7 p.m.

Feb. 11 at Buffalo*                         Buffalo, N.Y.             TBA

Feb. 15 at Northern Illinois*         De Kalb, Ill.               TBA

Feb. 17 at ESPN Bracketbuster      TBA                         TBA

Feb. 22 BALL STATE*                     Kalamazoo, Mich.   7 p.m.

Feb. 25 at Toledo*                         Toledo, Ohio           TBA

Feb. 29 EASTERN MICHIGAN*     Kalamazoo, Mich.   7 p.m.

March 3 at Central Michigan*      Mt. Pleasant, Mich. 7 p.m.

March 7-10 MAC Championships  Cleveland, Ohio    TBA

* - Mid-American Conference (MAC) game

All games Eastern Standard Time (EST) unless otherwise noted