While we may not quite know what kind of team the UND men’s basketball is yet, or how it fits together, we know its schedule.

“I am really pleased with the 17 guys we have on the roster right now and the depth they provide for us,” UND coach Brian Jones said. “With a bunch of new faces this year, it’s going to be a process because everybody has a different role or a new role.”

Last year, the Green and White were one game away from achieving their dream of going to the March Madness Tournament, but ended up losing to Big Sky Champion Weber State.

To get back into that position, the road ahead is going to be a challenging one.

Before conference play begins, UND will play through a difficult non-conference schedule.

To start the season at home, the UND basketball team will face off against a familiar foe, Mayville State. While the two teams have not played each other since 2011, UND has found success against the Comets.

Dating back to the 2006-07 Season, the basketball team is 5-1 against its neighbors down I-29.

After the home opener, UND will travel to Utah for a three-game stretch, before it hits somewhat of a rivalry week.

While its rivalries may not have been forged in basketball, there is still intrigue in these games.

UND will take a roadtrip to Minneapolis to face off against a tough Golden Gophers squad on Dec. 8. Five days later, the Green and White will travel to Fargo to play North Dakota State, a rivalry that has been gaining steam over the last four years.

UND is 2-2 in those games, with its most recent win coming last year, when the Green and White throttled the Bison at the Betty, 95-77.

After non-conference play comes the real meat of the season — Big Sky play.

Conference play is where the team really hit its stride last year, going 12-8 and finishing second in the conference.

This year comes with slightly lower expectations.

With the loss of so many key parts to last year’s team, UND is ranked No. 9 in both the Coaches and Media Big Sky Preseason Polls.

While outsiders do not view North Dakota as much of a threat, coach Brian Jones is confident in his squad.

Big Sky Conference play is always competitive, and this year will be no exception. While the pieces may not totally fit together right away, Jones hopes to have this team buzzing like he did last year at the right time.

“We have to take our time to make sure we are laying the foundation the right way and teaching these guys what has been successful for us and continue to get better at those things,” Jones said. “If we do that, we’ll be playing good basketball at the end of the season when it’s really important.”

Alex Stadnik is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].