NDSU Men’s Basketball Readying for Season Opener

The Bison are in California to start the year at UCSB

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU Athletics) —  The North Dakota State men’s basketball team will open the 2017-18 season with a road trip to southern California, taking on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Saturday, Nov. 11, and the nationally ranked USC Trojans on Monday, Nov. 13.

The Bison and Gauchos have met one time previously on the basketball court, with NDSU scoring a 68-60 neutral site victory in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 13, 2010. USC won the only previous meeting between the Bison and Trojans — a tight 61-57 contest at the Galen Center on Dec. 20, 2008.

Monday’s game at USC will make it six consecutive seasons that the Bison have played a Top 10 opponent. It will be NDSU’s 15th game against a ranked opponent in Division I play, with the Bison holding a 3-11 record in those games.  (Rankings are USA Today Coaches/Associated Press).

 With 112 victories over the past five seasons, the Bison are in the midst of the most successful five-year stretch in program history.