The University of North Florida men's and women's basketball teams will open their 2026-27 non-conference seasons on opposite ends of the U.S., with the men's team eventually playing games in five states.
The Osprey men's team will start the season with a two-game road trip to California, facing California Baptist on Nov. 3 in Riverside, Calif., then taking on UCLA in Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 6. UNF will play at Miami at Nov. 9 before its home opener Nov. 14 against The Citadel.
![North Florida Ospreys head coach Bobby Kennen coaches during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game at Swisher Gymnasium, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/b8e4066c858411d099534095fc43c488.jpg "North Florida Ospreys head coach Bobby Kennen coaches during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game at Swisher Gymnasium, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
After playing the Bruins and Hurricanes, UNF doesn't face another Power Four conference team until Dec. 21 at Texas A&M, followed by a game at Georgia on Dec. 29. The Ospreys will go back to Texas to play at Abilene Christian on Jan. 31 and Tarleton State on Jan. 2 before their ASUN opener Jan. 7 at home against Bellarmine.
Ospreys women play 15 games in-state
The UNF women will play an exhibition on Oct. 27 at UNF Arena against Florida Southern and open at home against Florida Tech on Nov. 2. The Ospreys play at Florida State on Nov. 5 and return home to play Edward Waters on Nov. 10. They will play 10 of their first 12 games in Florida (six at home), and 15 in the state overall before the ASUN schedule begins on Jan. 9 at Jacksonville.
The Ospreys' toughest games are Nov. 17 at UCF, Dec. 6 at Florida and Dec. 16 at Texas Tech. While the UNF men are at Abilene Christian and Tarleton State, the women will host those two teams on the same dates, and have a home game against UT-Arlington on Jan. 2.
Game times for both teams will be announced at a later date. Jacksonville University has not yet released its men's and women's non-conference schedule.
UNF men's non-conference basketball schedule
Nov. 3, at California Baptist
Nov. 6, at UCLA
Nov. 9, at Miami
Nov. 14, The Citadel
Nov. 17, University of Fort Lauderdale
Nov. 21, Arkansas-Little Rock
Nov. 23, Central Arkansas
Nov. 25, Wagner
Nov. 28, at Columbia
Dec. 3, South Dakota
Dec. 5, Florida Tech
Dec. 12, at South Dakota
Dec. 16, Charleston Southern
Dec. 19, at UT Arlington
Dec. 21, at Texas A&M
Dec. 29, at Georgia
Dec. 31, at Abilene Christian
Jan. 2, at Tarleton State
UNF women's non-conference basketball schedule
Oct. 27, Florida Southern (exhibition)
Nov. 2, Florida Tech
Nov. 5, at Florida State
Nov. 10, Edward Waters
Nov. 12, at Arkansas Little-Rock
Nov. 14, at Central Arkansas
Nov. 17, at UCF
Nov. 19, at Bethune-Cookman
Nov. 27, North Florida Invitational, vs. South Dakota
Nov. 28, North Florida Invitational, vs. North Carolina A&T
Dec. 4, South Alabama
Dec. 6, at Florida
Dec. 12, Coastal Georgia
Dec. 16, at Texas Tech
Dec. 19, at Florida Atlantic
Dec. 20, vs. SIUE, Boca Raton
Dec. 29, Tarleton State
Dec. 31, Abilene Christian
Jan. 2, UT-Arlington
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: North Florida men's basketball team will have to be road warriors early