JOHNSON, Vt. – The Johnson State College Athletic Department today released the 2017-18 men's basketball schedule. The Badgers will play 25 contests, including 18 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) games and 14 games at home.

Third year Head Coach Miles Smith '09 and his team will open the season at home on Wednesday, November 15^th against the College of St. Joseph at 7:30 p.m. The Badgers will then host Southern Vermont College on Saturday, November 18^th at 3:00 p.m. and Middlebury on Tuesday, November 21^st at 7:00 p.m. The Badgers close out November with their first NAC game of the season against Castleton University at home at 7:30 p.m.

Johnson will start December with a pair of NAC road games, visiting UMaine-Farmington on Friday, December 1^st and traveling to Thomas College on the 2^nd. The Badgers go to Norwich for a non-conference match-up on Wednesday, December 6^th, then host New England College on Saturday, December 9^th in a NAC matchup. Johnson ends the semester with a non-conference road game at Plymouth State on December 16^th.

Johnson will start the New Year with a NAC game at home against Green Mountain College on January 6^th, then travel to in-state rival Lyndon State for a NAC contest on Tuesday, January 9^th. Johnson returns home for a non-conference match-up against Vermont Tech on Thursday, January 11^th, before traveling to Castleton for a NAC game on Saturday the 13^th. The Badgers will round off the rest of the month with five NAC games, hosting Husson, Maine Maritime, and Lyndon State and traveling to Colby-Sawyer and Green Mountain.

The Badgers will kick off February with home NAC games against Thomas College on Friday the 2^nd and UMaine-Farmington on Saturday the 3^rd. Johnson will travel to Maine the following weekend for conference games with Maine Maritime and Husson. Pine Manor will come to town for the Badgers last non-conference match-up of the season on February 13^th before playing at New England College on the 15^th and hosting Colby-Sawyer in their season finale on the 17^th.

The 2018 NAC Tournament will begin on Tuesday, February 20^th with the third and fourth seeded teams hosting the sixth and fifth seeded teams respectively. The first and second seeds will receive a first-round bye. The semifinals will be played on Friday, February 23^rd with the one seed hosting a 'Final Four' format. The NAC Championship Game will be held on Saturday, February 24^th, with the NAC Champion going on to represent the conference in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Johnson State finished the 2016 season with a 11-14 record overall and a 8-10 record in the NAC. The Badgers failed to qualify for the NAC playoffs, finishing seventh in the conference.

The 2017-18 Johnson State men's basketball schedule can be found in its entirety HERE.