MOSCOW, Idaho - Idaho men's basketball got one step closer to beginning its conference title defense on Wednesday, as the Big Sky released its 2026-27 conference slate. 

Following the summer addition of Southern Utah and Utah Tech to give the conference 11 full-time members, every team in the Big Sky will play 20 conference games, meeting each opponent home and away. 

League play will begin for Idaho on Thursday, December 3, with a two-game road trip to Northern Colorado and Portland State, before taking a multi-week break from Big Sky competition to complete non-conference play. Big Sky play resumes for Idaho on December 31 in Moscow against Utah Tech. 

Highlights of the conference season for Idaho include conference title game rematches with Montana on January 14 (Missoula, Mont.) and February 13 (ICCU Arena), and the Battle for King Spud against Idaho State on January 25 (ICCU Arena) and March 1 (Pocatello, Idaho), the latter of which will serve as both teams' regular season finale.

As previously announced by the league office, Starch Madness will be returning to Boise's Idaho Central Arena in 2027, with the Big Sky Basketball Tournament running from March 5-10. 

Idaho's non-conference slate is being finalized and will be announced at a later date.

UI's full 20-game conference schedule can be seen below.

(Home games marked in BOLD)
12/3 – at Northern Colorado
12/5 – at Portland State
12/31 – Utah Tech
1/2 – Southern Utah
1/9 – Northern Arizona
1/14 – at Montana
1/16 – at Montana State
1/18 – at Weber State
1/23 – Eastern Washington
1/25 – Idaho State
1/28 – Portland State
1/30 – Northern Colorado
2/4 – at Southern Utah
2/6 – at Utah Tech
2/11 – Montana State
2/13 – Montana
2/18 – at Northern Arizona
2/22 – Weber State
2/27 – at Eastern Washington
3/1 – at Idaho State

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