MAAC Announces Updated 2020-21 Basketball Schedule

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced Monday the release of the league's the updated men's basketball schedule for the 2020-21 season. The MAAC Council of Presidents adjusted the season's scheduling format Nov. 6 after taking into consideration evolving COVID-19 testing, travel and venue standards.

The new schedules feature a Friday/Saturday playing format at the same venue for both games, with 24 hours of spacing between the two contests. The men's and women's schedules mirror each other so that one institution's program is home while the other is away, both facing the same opponent.

Teams have the weekend of Dec. 25-26 open for the holiday break, where non-conference games are permitted to be scheduled. In addition, the weekend of Feb. 22-27 remains open for all teams as an opportunity to make up any conference games due to COVID-19 disruptions. Each school has a built-in bye week as well, with the Canisius men's team scheduled for its bye week on Feb. 5-6.

As stated in the recently announced revised scheduling policy release, MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor said, "The MAAC's goal with the revised scheduling format is to complete the conference season and meet the NCAA minimum of 13 Division I games to be played by teams. In light of the evolving state and local health standards, the increasing levels of infection rates, and decisions related to testing teams and officials three times a week for COVID-19, the MAAC membership revised its existing format for this season. The health and safety of our student-athletes and those associated with our programs is the priority of the Council of Presidents."

The Council is also in the process of reviewing draft guidelines for Commissioner Ensor to use in the rescheduling of make-up games this season, anticipating disruptions to the schedule caused by the pandemic. The draft policy would grant the commissioner wide latitude and flexibility in rescheduling games, working with the Director of Athletics of the institutions affected, but relying on the commissioner to make the final decision. This would also apply to any additional games that may be scheduled between MAAC teams in their effort to reach the NCAA minimum of 13 contests, including up to four total contests between schools.

"With the focus on conference scheduling, and given COVID-19 disruptions, it is unlikely most schools will play the maximum NCAA limit of 27 games," Ensor said. "Non-conference games, while helpful for conditioning teams for conference competition, are not mandatory and need to be evaluated to insure student-athlete safety. It's at an institution's discretion how many non-conference games should be played."

Television information and start times will be announced at a later date.

Schedule Notes: The 2020-21 season marks the 40th anniversary for the MAAC. Canisius has been a member of the conference since the 1989-90 campaign… The Griffs are starting league play at home for the first time since the 2017-18 season… The two games at Siena (Dec. 18-19) will be played in the ARC on Siena's campus. Canisius last played the Saints in the ARC on Feb. 15, 1997… The Jan. 1 game against Saint Peter's will be the program's first New Year's Day contest at the Koessler Athletic Center… Canisius will not play host to long-time rival Niagara for the first time since the 1957-58 campaign when the two programs did not play at all.

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