Michigan releases its 2010-11 basketball schedule

There is a possibility for a fourth game not on the BTN. The Michigan at Iowa flex date on Feb. 19 or 20 can be on the BTN or CBS.

Michigan will also be on ESPN2 against Clemson in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Nov. 30 and on CBS against Kansas on Jan. 9.

This shouldn't be unexpected after Michigan stumbled to a 15-17 record last year, returns no definite stars in a league full of them and is expected to be toward the bottom of a loaded Big Ten.

There are positives and negatives to Michigan's Big Ten schedule, though. The Wolverines will play a 9 p.m. game -- long a complaint of Michigan head coach John Beilein -- just once during the Big Ten season, at Northwestern.

They also have fairly manageable stretches throughout much of the year, nothing like the string of six games last year that matched Michigan against the top teams in the league with a non-conference game against Connecticut in the middle.

This year's gauntlet is just a three-game stretch with one road trip. And it is at the beginning of the schedule. After Michigan heads to Wisconsin on Jan. 5, it'll host Kansas on Jan. 9 in a non-conference game and then play Ohio State at home on Jan. 12.

The Wolverines also benefit from a home-loaded front part of the league schedule. Three of their first four Big Ten games are at home. But they will travel a lot toward the end of the year, finishing with three of the final five on the road.

Those first two conference games -- against front-runner Purdue and Penn State -- will be while Michigan's students are on winter break. The season-finale, against rival Michigan State, will be played when students are on spring break. Michigan's spring break is from Feb. 26-March 7.

In addition to the Big Ten schedule, Michigan released its full schedule Thursday. Most of the high-profile games were already known, but the Wolverines will play Summit League power - and future home of former Wolverines guard Laval Lucas-Perry - Oakland on Dec. 18.

Michigan already had non-conference games announced against Bowling Green, Gardner-Webb, Kansas, Clemson, Harvard and two games in the Legends Classic finals - a semifinal date against Syracuse and a game against either Georgia Tech or UTEP.

Michigan basketball schedule: Nov. 13: South Carolina Upstate at Michigan, 7 p.m., BTN.com Nov. 18: Bowling Green at Michigan (Legends Classic), 7 p.m., BTN Nov. 21: Gardner-Webb at Michigan (Legends Classic), 2 p.m., BTN.com Nov. 26: Michigan vs. Syracuse (Legends Classic), 8 p.m., HDNet Nov. 27: Michigan vs. Georgia Tech/UTEP (Legends Classic), 5:30/8 p.m., HDNet Nov. 30: Michigan at Clemson (Big Ten/ACC Challenge), 9 p.m., ESPN2 Dec. 4: Harvard at Michigan, 1 p.m., BTN Dec. 6: Concordia, Mich. at Michigan, 7 p.m., BTN.com Dec. 10: Utah at Michigan, 6:30 p.m., BTN Dec. 14: North Carolina Central at Michigan, 7 p.m., BTN Dec. 18: Oakland at Michigan, Noon, ESPN3.com Dec. 23: Bryant at Michigan, 7 p.m., ESPN Dec. 28: Purdue at Michigan, 2 p.m., BTN Jan. 2: Penn State at Michigan, 4 p.m., BTN Jan. 5: Michigan at Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m., BTN Jan. 9: Kansas at Michigan, 1:30/4:30 p.m., CBS Jan. 12: Ohio State at Michigan, 6:30 p.m., BTN Jan. 15: Michigan at Indiana, 8 p.m., BTN Jan. 18: Michigan at Northwestern, 9 p.m., BTN Jan. 22: Minnesota at Michigan, 7 p.m., BTN Jan. 27: Michigan at Michigan State, 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 Jan. 30: Iowa at Michigan, 4 p.m., BTN Feb. 3: Michigan at Ohio State, 7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2 Feb. 6: Michigan at Penn State, Noon/3 p.m., BTN Feb. 9: Northwestern at Michigan, 6:30 p.m., BTN Feb. 12: Indiana at Michigan, 4 p.m., BTN Feb. 16: Michigan at Illinois, 8:30 p.m., BTN Feb. 19/20: Michigan at Iowa, 4:30 p.m./1 p.m., BTN/CBS Feb. 23: Wisconsin at Michigan, 6:30 p.m., BTN Feb. 26: Michigan at Minnesota, 4:30 p.m., BTN March 5: Michigan State at Michigan, 2 p.m., CBS