Michigan Men's Basketball Announces 2012-13 Schedule
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball program announced its dates and opponents for the 2012-13 regular season schedule today (Thursday, Aug. 30), in conjunction with the Big Ten's release of its full slate of conference games. Official game times and television designations will be announced on a later date.
Coming off its first Big Ten championship in 26 years and a third trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last four years, U-M's 2012-13 slate is highlighted by the Wolverines hosting a regional site of the NIT Season Tip-Off and N.C. State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, traveling to play West Virginia at the Barclays Center and three doubleheaders slated with the U-M women's basketball team.
Fans will be able to get their first look at the new Crisler Center as U-M hosts a pair of exhibition games against Northern Michigan on Nov. 1, and Saginaw Valley State on Nov. 5. The Wolverines will take on all four directional schools in Michigan; in addition to the Wildcats, Western Michigan on Dec. 4, Eastern Michigan on Dec. 20 and Central Michigan on Dec. 29.
U-M will open the regular season against Slippery Rock on Nov. 9 in one of three doubleheaders with the women's team. The Wolverines' games against EMU and CMU will also be doubleheader games.
The Wolverines will serve as one of four regional hosts for the 2012 NIT Season Tip-Off on Nov. 12-13. U-M's pod will include Bowling Green, Cleveland State and IUPUI playing four total games to determine who will advance to Madison Square Garden over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The winner of the regional pod advances to play in semifinal games on Nov. 21 and championship games on Nov. 23. If the Wolverines do not advance, they would host a consolation round, Nov. 19-20. Game opponents and game times will be announced once the full preseason NIT schedule is completed.
In addition to the possible trip to MSG, the Wolverines will head back to the Big Apple to face West Virginia on Dec. 15 in a neutral site game at the New Jersey Nets' new arena the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Other highlights for the non-conference schedule include hosting N.C. State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge match on Nov. 27 as well as a home game from SEC's Arkansas on Dec. 8.
Michigan opens Big Ten play on the road at Northwestern on Jan. 3 before the conference home opener against Iowa on Jan. 6. The Hawkeyes are one of four teams U-M will face only once during the regular season. The other three will be Nebraska and road games at Minnesota and at Wisconsin.
After hosting ESPN's College GameDay last season at Crisler Center, the Wolverines will be featured for a second year, this time on the road at Indiana on Feb. 2. U-M faces intrastate rival Michigan State twice with the first coming at the Breslin Center on Feb. 12 before hosting the Spartans as one of the conferences wild card games on either March 2 or 3. The Big Ten season closes with U-M hosting Indiana on March 10.
Postseason play will begin with the Big Ten Tournament, which moves to Chicago's United Center on March 14-17. The NCAA Tournament begins with its First Four games on March 19-20, before second and third round games begin March 21-24. The Final Four will be in Atlanta's Georgia Dome April 6 with the national title game April 8.
Ticket Information
Season tickets for the 2012-13 Michigan Men's Basketball season will go on-sale on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Tickets are only available in the upper level of the renovated Crisler Center, with prices starting as low as $340/seat ($17/game). There are 20 games in this year's season ticket package, including nine Big Ten match-ups and great non-conference games vs. North Carolina State and Arkansas.
Donors to Michigan Athletics will have an exclusive window to purchase season tickets from Sept. 11 through Sept. 17. On Sept. 18 at 8:30 a.m. EDT, all other fans of Michigan Men's Basketball will be able to purchase season tickets. Additional information on 2012-13 Michigan Men's Basketball tickets will be made available at a future date.
