DENVER – The University of Denver men's basketball program has announced its 2025-26 schedule, the first under Pioneers' head coach Tim Bergstraser. The Summit League office also released the league calendar today, completing the Denver schedule.
Under Bergstraser, the Pioneers have taken a more aggressive approach to their non-conference schedule in preparation for Summit League play. The Pios 2025-26 opponents have an average Ken Pom ranking (2024-25) of 176. In the four previous full seasons after the COVID-19 pandemic, Denver's Ken Pom opponent average was as low as 198 (2024-25) and as high as 263 (2022-23), making this year's non-conference schedule 22-points better than any of the previous four since the pandemic.
Denver's non-conference Ken Pom average is the program's lowest since the 2014-15 season (173).
DU will play eight games against teams that finished in the top-200 in the Ken Pom rankings, two more top-200 opponents than last season. The Pios will only play one Division I team that finished outside the top-300 a year ago. The Pios have played at least three DI opponents outside the top-300 in each of the four seasons prior, including six in 2022-23.
The Pioneers first seven games are all against teams that finished in the top-200 in the Ken Pom rankings last year, and six of those games will be played on the road.
Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now, and can be purchased here.
Denver will open the season with a three-game road trip in a six-day stretch. The Pioneers open the season with a pair of games in the Pacific Northwest against Seattle (Nov. 3) and Washington (Nov. 6). Denver will close out the season-opening road trip at Montana State on November 9.
The Pioneers will make their home debut under Bergstraser on November 15 when DU welcomes UTSA to the Mile High City. DU will then return to the road for three more contests, starting with an in-state trip up I-25 north to visit Colorado State on November 21. Denver will then play an MTE with trips to Arizona (Nov. 24) and Wyoming (Nov. 26).
Denver opens December with a home game against Eastern Washington, the first of two games for DU in the Big Sky/Summit League Challenge. Denver will close out the series for conference bragging rights with a trip to Idaho State on December 6.
The Pioneers will move on to a four-game homestand after the challenge, hosting Colorado Christian (Dec. 9), Alaska Anchorage (Dec. 11), Cal State Fullerton (Dec. 13) and UCCS (Dec. 16) to Hamilton Gymnasium.
Denver will close out its non-conference slate with trips to Northern Colorado on December 20 and Tulsa on December 22.
DU's 16-game Summit League slate begins on New Year's Eve with a clash with Kansas City. The Pioneers' other seven home dates are January 14 (Oral Roberts), January 22 (NDSU), January 24 (North Dakota), January 31 (Omaha), February 12 (South Dakota State), February 19 (South Dakota) and February 21 (St. Thomas).
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