Atlantic 10 announces 18-game men’s basketball schedule

The Dayton Flyers learned their 18-game Atlantic 10 Conference schedule Wednesday — about two months later than normal.

Unlike some conferences, such as the Horizon League, which is playing two-game series at one site on back-to-back days, the A-10 will stick to a traditional schedule. However, there are some changes to the format. The A-10 will play at least nine games in December, and each team will have two bye dates between Jan. 13 and Feb. 24, and the weekend of March 5-7. The open dates will allow for make-up games in case of COVID-19 postponements.

» PRESEASON POLL: Richmond proud to be the favorite

“The 2020-21 year will be a unique and challenging season due to the COVID environment,” Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade said in a press release. “Utilizing multiple bye dates, creating an open weekend at the end of the season and moving games into December was deliberately done to allow for maximum flexibility to ensure the safety of our student-athletes, teams and campuses.”

Dayton has one game at George Washington that does not yet have a date. There are four games across the conference that don’t have dates, and this gives some schools that are still figuring out their non-conference schedules some flexibility.

Here’s the schedule of games that have known dates, including one non-conference game. Only three games have times at this point. Dayton has not announced a full-conference schedule. It withdrew from the season-opening Crossover Classic last week.

Dec. 12: vs. Mississippi State, at Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta.

Dec. 19: vs. Mississippi, 2:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network.

Dec. 30: vs. La Salle.

Jan. 2: vs. George Mason, 4:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network

Jan. 5: at Fordham.

Jan. 8: at Davidson, ESPN.

» A-10 PREVIEW: One writer’s prediction of the league race

Jan. 13: vs. Duquesne, CBS Sports Network.

Jan. 17: vs. George Washington, 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 23: at VCU, CBS Sports Network.

Jan. 26: at Saint Louis, CBS Sports Network.

Jan. 30: vs. Rhode Island, CBS Sports Network.