TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Upon today's earlier release of the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball schedule, the Indiana State Basketball program has also announced its slate for the 2018-19 campaign. Game times and TV Network designations for all contests are still be determined and will be announced later this month. Additional non-conference home games will be announced later in September.

The Sycamores will begin conference play on the road at Loyola on Thursday, January 2. The Ramblers advanced all the way to the Final Four last season as Indiana State proved to be the only team to beat them in Gentile Arena one year ago. ISU opens MVC play at home against Bradley on January 5 and then welcomes Missouri State with new head coach Dana Ford on January 8. It's back to the road on January 12 when the Sycamores travel to in-state rival Evansville before also playing at Northern Iowa on January 16.

Indiana State returns home to face off against Loyola inside Hulman Center on Saturday, January 19. Complete details will be released later this month, but a special reunion is being planned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sycamores' trip to the 1979 Final Four and National Championship Game. Still the highest rated game in the the history of college basketball, the Sycamores will remember the season went March Went Mad.

ISU hosts Valparaiso on Wednesday, January 23 before rounding out the month at Illinois State (January 27) and Southern Illinois (Jan. 30). The Sycamores then return home to face off against Drake on February 2 for Hall of Fame Weekend and Evansville on February 6. A road trip to Bradley hits the schedule on February 9 before a journey to Valparaiso is set for February 13. The Sycamores finish the year with three of their final five games inside Hulman Center beginning with a home game against Southern Illinois on a day in which we will welcome back all of Basketball Alumni to Hulman Center.

Illinois State comes to visit on February 20 before the Sycamores hit the road again for trips to Missouri State (Feb. 23) and Drake (Feb. 27). Senior Day is set for March 2 when Northern Iowa visits Hulman Center.

The State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament is set for March 7-10 at the Enterprise (formerly Scottrade Center) in St. Louis, Mo.

In non-conference play, the Sycamores open the season with a road game at Ball State on Tuesday, November 6. One of the program's oldest rivals, the Cardinals and Sycamores will battle on the hardwood for the 133rd time when they meet up in Muncie.

ISU then makes the journey to Green Bay for their second game of the year on Friday, November 9. The Sycamores play in Hulman Center on Saturday, November 24 when they host Western Kentucky. It will mark the fourth consecutive year that the Sycamores will face off against the Hilltoppers.

Indiana State travels to San Jose State on November 28 for the Missouri Valley / Mountain West Conference Challenge before returning home to face off against Wright State on Saturday, December 1. ISU remains at home for a return game against North Texas on Wednesday, December 5. The Sycamores and Mean Green battled all the way to overtime last season in Denton, Texas.

ISU travels to Texas Christian on Sunday, December 16 for a non-bracketed game as part of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamondhead Classic. The Sycamores then travel to Hawaii where they open play in Honolulu against Colorado on December 22 at 3 pm (ET) in a game that will be televised on ESPNU. ISU then will play either UNLV or host Hawaii on December 23 before taking Christmas Eve off and playing their final contest on December 25. All games in Honolulu will be broadcast nationally on the ESPN Family of Networks. 

Stayed tuned to GoSycamores.com for additional scheduling information and special game promotions to be announced later this month.