MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In the space between high-profile games against Virginia, Pitt, Texas A&M and Kentucky, next season’s West Virginia basketball schedule features a visit from a former John Beilein assistant.
Monday’s release of the full nonconference schedule features eight home dates. The 18-game Big 12 round-robin slate will be finalized soon.
Jeff Neubauer brings his Fordham team to Morgantown on Dec. 23. He coached with the Mountaineers from 2003 through 2005 and returned as Eastern Kentucky’s head coach in 2012.
Neubauer’s Rams were only 13-19 last season, putting them in good company with other pay-to-play opponents on West Virginia’s upcoming schedule — like Long Beach State (15-19), Morgan State (14-16), American (8-22) and Coppin State (8-24).
Morgan State has a noteworthy coach of its own, Todd Bozeman, who led Cal to three NCAA tournament appearances before an NCAA scandal forced his resignation in 1996 and a pile of vacated victories. He’s entering his 12th season with Morgan State.
The Thanksgiving weekend tournament near Orlando includes St, John’s, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon State, UCF, Marist and Long Beach State.
There’s a weirdly timed Dec. 16 exhibition game against Wheeling Jesuit, a quirk created by the travel commitment of West Virginia playing its opener overseas.
Also of note, there is no game scheduled for Charleston next season.
West Virginia nonconference basketball 2017-18:
| Nov. 10 | vs. Texas A&M | Ramstein, Germany |
| Nov. 15 | American | Morgantown |
| Nov. 18 | Morgan State | Morgantown |
| Nov. 20 | Long Beach State | Morgantown |
| Nov. 23 | AdvoCare Invitational | Lake Buena Vista, Fla. |
| Nov. 24 | AdvoCare Invitational | Lake Buena Vista, Fla. |
| Nov. 26 | AdvoCare Invitational | Lake Buena Vista, Fla. |
| Nov. 30 | NJIT | Morgantown |
| Dec. 5 | Virginia | Morgantown |
| Dec. 9 | at Pitt | Pittsburgh |
| Dec. 16 | Wheeling Jesuit (exh.) | Morgantown |
| Dec. 20 | Coppin State | Morgantown |
| Dec. 23 | Fordham | Morgantown |
| Jan. 27 | Kentucky | Morgantown |