FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 20, 2025) – Sixteen regular season games in Flagstaff and five non-conference games against 20+ win teams highlight the 2025-26 Northern Arizona men's basketball schedule, announced by head coach
Shane Burcar on Wednesday.
Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are now available for purchase at this
link as the Lumberjacks look to build off their first postseason appearance since 2015. NAU posted an 18-16 record last season and competed in the College Basketball Invitational. Along with the first postseason appearance since 2015, the 18 wins were also the program's most in a decade.
"All of the players who have played here over the last five, six years are part of the reason why we are climbing to the heights we've reached and will continue to reach for," Burcar said. "Every single guy has helped put us in a position to compete for a Big Sky championship and our 2025-26 roster is probably the most talented we've had 1-through-15 since I've been here. We're excited to take the next step this season."
After traveling to Albuquerque, N.M. for an exhibition against New Mexico, the reigning Mountain West Conference regular season champion, on Thursday, Oct. 30, the Lumberjacks open the season in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Monday, Nov. 3 against Drake as part of
The Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon.
The season opener provides an immediate measuring stick for the Lumberjacks with the Bulldogs off a 31-4 season and their third consecutive Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship – and subsequent third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
NAU's home opener is slated for Friday, Nov. 7 when the 'Jacks welcome Justice University, an National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) national tournament qualifier located in Chandler, Ariz., to the Rolle Activity Center. It will be the first of five home games in a six-game span around a road game at Arizona on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
The Lumberjacks host Embry-Riddle on Tuesday, Nov. 18 before Cal Poly and Southeast Missouri State head into Flagstaff for a Multi-Team Event on Monday, Nov. 24 and Wednesday, Nov. 26 respectively. Southeast Missouri State earned its first outright Ohio Valley Conference regular season title last season.
Following the MTE, the Lumberjacks host South Dakota State on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and travel to North Dakota State on Saturday, Dec. 6, as part of the third annual Big Sky-Summit Challenge. Both South Dakota State and North Dakota State pose exciting challenges for NAU after winning at least 20 games last season.
The 'Jacks close out their non-conference schedule with road games at Arizona State (Dec. 9), San Diego (Dec. 13) and Incarnate Word (Dec. 21) and home games versus Southern Utah (Dec. 18) and Benedictine Mesa (Dec. 29).
NAU's non-conference slate features three teams (Arizona – No. 13, Drake – No. 52, Arizona State – No. 73) ranked in the top 100 of the final 2024-25 KenPom rankings. Drake, Arizona, Southeast Missouri State, South Dakota State and North Dakota State all won at least 20 games a season ago.
"These early season games, you'll know where you are – good or bad – and we'll coach the guys based on that to get us ready for the 18-game race in the Big Sky," Burcar said. "We have a reputation to play any team, anywhere. These games are designed to make us better for the league and put us in a position for a high seed in the Big Sky Tournament."
The 18-game Big Sky schedule commences on New Year's Day in Missoula, Mont. versus Montana. NAU also plays Montana State on Saturday, Jan. 3 during its league play-opening road trip. The Lumberjacks' conference home opener is Thursday, Jan. 8 against Weber State.
A unique quirk to this season's conference schedule is an NAU home doubleheader in the Walkup Skydome on Thursday, Jan. 29. Both the Lumberjack men's and women's basketball teams host Eastern Washington. Game times for both games are TBD.
NAU hosts Montana State in the regular season finale on Monday, March 2. The 2026 Big Sky Championships will once again return to Boise, Idaho, from March 7-11.
For the full 2025-26 schedule, please click
here.
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