WKU’s full 2021-22 Conference USA schedule was released by the league on Friday morning. The Hilltoppers’ conference slate consists of 18 games in a divisional format with the defending East division champs playing all six of their divisional opponents twice (FAU, FIU, Old Dominion, Charlotte, MTSU and Marshall) and facing six of seven West division foes (Louisiana Tech, UAB, UTSA, Rice, North Texas and Southern Miss). UTEP is the lone C-USA opponent that WKU will not face next season.

WKU will begin conference play on the road against the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on Dec. 30, the third time in four years the Hilltoppers will begin conference play away from Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers will then face Louisiana Tech, the 2020-21 West division champs, a few days later away on New Year’s Day.

A bye week will follow WKU’s matchup with the Bulldogs. The Hilltoppers then return to Diddle Arena for three straight games against FIU on Jan. 8, Rice on Jan. 13 and North Texas on Jan. 15. It will be just the fourth time in 11 meetings the Mean Green have faced WKU in Bowling Green and the Hilltoppers will be looking retribution after falling to UNT in overtime in the 2020-21 C-USA Championship Game.

A trip to Florida will see the Hilltoppers face FAU on Jan. 20 and rematch FIU on Jan. 22. A busy January will come to a close after WKU hosts both UAB on Jan. 27 and rival MTSU on Jan. 29.

The Hilltoppers will begin February with a pair of road games, traveling to Charlotte to face the 49ers on Feb. 3 and visiting Norfolk, Virginia to take on Old Dominion on Feb. 5. The Hilltoppers will return to Bowling Green for their second matchup with FAU on Feb. 10 before traveling to San Antonio to play UTSA on Feb. 13. Home rematches against Charlotte and Old Dominion will occur on Feb. 17 and Feb. 19 respectively before WKU travels to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to play the Blue Raiders for a second time on Feb. 26.

A home-and-home series against Marshall will close out the Hilltoppers’ regular season, with the first matchup taking place in Huntington, West Virginia on March 2 before WKU ends the year in Bowling Green on March 5 on Senior Day. The 2022 C-USA Basketball Championships will once again take place in Frisco, Texas on March 9-12.

All game times will be announced at a later date and WKU’s full non-conference schedule will be announced later this summer as it is finalized.

Sports Editor Jake Moore can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Charles_JMoore.