Majerle Homecoming Highlights 2014-15 Men's Basketball Schedule
9/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
2014-15 Schedule
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Central Michigan will roll out the welcome mat for one of its all-time greats during the 2014-15 men's basketball season.
CMU Hall of Famer Dan Majerle will bring his Grand Canyon Antelopes to Mount Pleasant on Saturday, Nov. 29. It is one of eight non-conference home games on CMU's docket.
"It's great for the program, not only for us to attract new fans, but to reach out and connect with the great alumni of Central Michigan, and what better way to do that than bring back one of the all-time greats to the Mount Pleasant community," Chippewas coach Keno Davis said.
Majerle, whose retired No. 44 jersey hangs in the rafters of McGuirk Arena, is in his second year at Grand Canyon. The Antelopes finished 15-15 last season, 10-6 (third place) in the Western Athletic Conference.
Majerle, a Traverse City, Mich. native, is second on CMU's all-time scoring list and went on to a 14-year NBA career primarily with the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat.
The Chippewas return all five starters and 96 percent of their scoring from last season. They open Mid-American Conference play at Toledo on Jan. 6. The Rockets finished 14-4 a year ago, sharing the top record in the MAC West Division with Western Michigan.
The conference schedule also includes crossover games against two of the top teams in the MAC East, Buffalo and Ohio. CMU will host the Bulls, champions of the East Division a year ago, on Wednesday, Jan. 21 while the Bobcats, who won 25 games last season, will visit Mount Pleasant on Saturday, Jan. 31.
CMU opens the season at home against Alma College on Nov. 14. Four nights later, the Chippewas entertain Youngstown State and then will welcome Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Maine and Valparaiso for a tournament beginning Friday, Nov. 21.
The tournament is part of a big weekend on campus for CMU sports. Both the Central Michigan-Western Michigan football game and the CMU women's basketball team's contest with Kentucky will take place on campus on Saturday, Nov. 22. The men's basketball tournament concludes on Sunday, Nov. 23.
Also on the non-conference schedule is a potential nationally televised contest against Big Ten foe Northwestern in Chicago and a return trip to Illinois for a match-up with Bradley of the Missouri Valley Conference.
"We have continued to build a home schedule that will allow not only the Mount Pleasant community, but our students to see our team an optimal number of times," Davis said. "While improving our program we will continue to look to improve and develop our schedule for the future."
Single game tickets for CMU home games will go on sale starting Thursday, Sept. 25.
Central Michigan men's basketball is on Twitter. Follow head coach Keno Davis (@CoachKenoDavis) and the program's official Twitter account (@CMUMensBball) to get insider news and information and team updates. The Chippewas are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CMUMensBBall.