MOORE, Okla. - Randall Men's Basketball Head Coach Mark Berokoff has announced the complete schedule for the 2-time defending National Champion Saints. "Every year we strive to build the toughest schedule possible in order to prepare our guys for the postseason. We believe that this year is the toughest schedule we have ever put together, and can't wait to see how our guys respond to it." The toughness of that schedule includes perennial Big 12 power Baylor University on December 9th. Baylor finished the year last season ranked 12th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Bears were a 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, making it to the Sweet 16 before falling to last years "Cinderella" team, 7 seed South Carolina. The Saints will meet the Bears at Ford Hood, Texas, in Abrams Gym; where tickets are free for military members and their families.
While the Baylor game may steal the headlines, there is no shortage of elite competition from every level. On the NCCAA DII front, the Saints will face off with their developing rivals in the north, Grace Bible College of Michigan. Last season Randall beat Grace in the semifinal of the National Tournament, and the previous year the Saints beat Grace in the National Championship game. Both games went to overtime, only adding to the excitement of this regular season matchup. The Grace Bible game will be played at Johnson University in Florida on January 11th, where Randall will also face Trinity Baptist College, and Johnson University on the 12th and 13th respectively.
Numerous NCAA DII and NAIA matchups are spread throughout the schedule, adding to the overall difficulty the Saints will face on their schedule this season. Home (Nov. 29) and away (Nov. 13) matchups against NAIA DI power Oklahoma City University will provide early tests for Randall. November proves to be packed full of scholarship opponents as the Saints also travel to Lubbock Christian University on November 20, and Rogers State University on November 25. The 17th and 18th of November will see the Saints playing in the St. Mary's Classic in San Antonio, Texas. They will face two NCAA DII opponents, Texas A&M International University, and St. Mary's of Texas.
The end of January and early February will provide Randall with the majority of their NCCAA DII Region opponents. The Saints play last year's Region Tournament Champion Manhattan Christian at home on January 15, and on the road on January 27. February provides one last NCAA DII opponent as well, as the Saints will travel to Dallas Baptist University on the 10th. A final regular season game at home against Dallas Christian College takes place on February 17th, which is followed shortly by the Southwest Region Tournament which takes place from Feb. 22-Feb. 24. The National Tournament will take place this season at Bob Jones University in South Carolina on March 8-10.
The Saints first regular season game is on October 26 at NAIA DII Southwestern College (KS), which will be followed by the home opener on October 28th against 2015-2016 NAIA DI National Champion Mid-America Christian University at 6:00 PM. All home games this season will also be broadcast on rusaints.com along with live stats.