Mountain West releases conference basketball schedules. Fresno State has some challenges

The Mountain West 2020-21 basketball schedules released Friday include some substantive changes.

The men’s and women’s teams this season will again play 18 conference games, but the men will play on a Tuesday-Saturday schedule rather than Wednesday-Saturday and the women will play in a tighter scheduling window.

And it’s all pending approval from state, county and local officials.

The Fresno State men are set to open conference play Dec. 29 at home against Wyoming while the Bulldogs women open Dec. 31 at home against Boise State.

Fans will not be allowed to attend games at the Save Mart Center, due to state guidelines.

The Mountain West Women’s Tournament is scheduled for March 7-10 and the Mountain West Tournament March 10-13, both at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

The Bulldogs men continue to adjust and work through a non-conference schedule, but an athletics department source said the goal is to play the NCAA limit of 27 games.

Men’s teams can schedule 24 regular-season games with one multiple-team event that includes up to three games, 25 regular-season games with one MTE that includes up to two games or just 25 regular-season games if a team does not participate in an MTE.

The start of the season was pushed back to Nov. 25 from Nov. 10, allowing for the majority of Division I schools to complete fall terms and perhaps reduce COVID-19 exposure risks on a less populated campus during the pandemic.

The Tuesday-Saturday schedule is subject to change for television broadcasts, but it could pose some travel and preparation time issues for Fresno State, which flies commercial and does not often fly charter to or from road games.

The Bulldogs will play back-to-back Saturday-Tuesday road games at Utah State and at San Jose State, and at Wyoming and at Air Force, barring changes for TV. It could remain on the road as it has in past seasons when playing back-to-back road games at Wyoming and at Colorado State – the three schools are within 200 miles.

The Bulldogs women, the Mountain West regular-season champions a year ago, also have a schedule that will present some challenges.

With travel a concern during the coronavirus pandemic, Fresno State will play games on a Monday and a Tuesday, three games on Thursdays, six games on Wednesdays and seven games on Saturdays, and play its season in a smaller window.

They will play five games in an 11-day stretch in January, with three on the road.

Fresno State basketball schedule

Dec. 29 – vs. Wyoming

Jan. 2 – at Utah State

Jan. 5 – at San Jose State

Jan. 9 – Bye

Jan. 12 – vs. New Mexico

Jan. 16 – vs. Boise State

Jan. 19 – at San Diego State

Jan. 23 – at Colorado State

Jan. 26 – vs. UNLV

Jan. 30 – at Nevada

Feb. 2 – vs. Air Force

Feb. 6 – vs. Colorado State

Feb. 9 – at UNLV

Feb. 13 – at Boise State

Feb. 16 – vs. Nevada

Feb. 20 – vs. San Diego State

Feb. 23 – Bye

Feb. 27 – at Wyoming

March 2 – at Air Force

March 6 – vs. San Jose State

March 10-13 – MW Tournament

Fresno State women’s basketball schedule

Dec. 31 – vs. Boise State

Jan. 2 – vs. Utah State

Jan. 6 – vs. Nevada

Jan. 9 – Bye

Jan. 13 – at UNLV

Jan. 16 – at Boise State

Jan. 18 – at Utah State

Jan. 21 – vs. New Mexico

Jan. 23 – vs. Air Force

Jan. 27 – at Wyoming

Jan. 30 – Bye

Feb. 3 – at San Diego State

Feb. 6 – vs. San Jose State

Feb. 11 – at Air Force

Feb. 13 – at New Mexico

Feb. 17 – vs. Colorado State

Feb. 20 – at San Jose State

Feb. 24 – at Nevada

Feb. 27 – vs. UNLV

March 2 – vs. San Diego State

March 7-10 – MW Tournament