DES MOINES, Iowa — Drake men's basketball has announced the non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season.

The non-conference slate features six games from the Knapp Center, a pair of road contests, and four neutral site matchups.

The Bulldogs open the regular season on Nov. 4 at home against Central College and then will play host to Southern University (Nov. 8), South Dakota (Nov. 13), Tarleton State (Nov. 16), and Charleston (Nov. 19) to complete a five-game homestand. The homestand finale against the Cougars, a program that has won 20-plus games and has two NCAA Tournament appearances over the last four seasons, on Nov. 19 is a return game of a home-and-home series. Last season the Bulldogs went out to Charleston and defeated the Cougars, 71-62, in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Drake's first game away from Des Moines will be against an old Missouri Valley Conference rival, the Missouri State Bears on Nov. 21. Missouri State leads the all-time series against the Bulldogs, 49-25, but Drake was victorious both times against the Bears in Missouri State's final season in the league during the 2024-25 season. The Bulldogs and Bears have had plenty of competitive matchups over the years with four of the last five meetings going into overtime.

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend will see the Bulldogs play in the inaugural Snake River Invitational Nov. 27-29 from Idaho Falls, Idaho. Drake will open up the Snake River Invitational on Friday, Nov. 27 against Boise State. The Bulldogs will follow with a matchup against North Dakota State on Saturday, Nov. 28 and close out the event against North Texas on Sunday, Nov. 29.

Drake is 2-1 all-time against Boise State, having last faced the Broncos in 2018 for the MWC/MVC Challenge from Des Moines. The Bulldogs won that contest, 83-74. The Broncos, now part of the newly reformed PAC12, have made recent trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Drake is 7-1 against North Dakota State, having last faced the Bison last season from the Knapp Center, falling 99-94. NDSU went on to win the Summit League in 2025-26 and participated in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are 30-7 all-time against North Texas, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021 with an upset over No. 4 seed Purdue. The last time Drake and North Texas met on the hardwood came in 2021 at the ESPN Events Invitational from Orlando, Florida, where the Bulldogs narrowly fell by a score of 57-54.

December opens with another road game for the Bulldogs as they travel to East Lansing, Michigan, to challenge Big Ten contenders Michigan State on Dec. 5. The duel with the Spartans marks the first time the two programs will meet since 1965 and the third-ever trip to East Lansing for Drake.

The Bulldogs return to the Knapp Center to face North Carolina Central on Dec. 11 before heading to Kansas City on Dec. 18 to face Davidson in the NABC Hall of Fame Classic at the T-Mobile Center to close out the non-conference slate.

2026-27 Drake Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 4 – Central College – Des Moines
Nov. 8 – Southern – Des Moines
Nov. 13 – South Dakota – Des Moines
Nov. 16 – Tarleton State – Des Moines
Nov. 19 – Charleston – Des Moines
Nov. 21 – at Missouri State – Springfield, Mo.
Nov. 27 – vs. Boise State – Idaho Falls, Idaho
Nov. 28 – vs. North Dakota State – Idaho Falls, Idaho
Nov. 29 – vs. North Texas – Idaho Falls, Idaho
Dec. 5 – at Michigan State – East Lansing, Mich.
Dec. 11 – North Carolina Central – Des Moines
Dec. 18 – vs. Davidson – Kansas City, Mo.

2026-27 Season Ticket Information
Don't miss out on the action this season. Drake Men's Basketball season tickets are now available. Visit HERE to witness every game at the Knapp Center this season. Limited lower bowl seats remain.