By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Western Illinois’ men’s and women’s basketball teams will open their first season in the Ohio Valley Conference on the road on New Year’s Eve.

The Leathernecks will play at SIU-Edwardsville on December 31, the start of an 18-game schedule in their new conference. All dates are men’s-women’s doubleheaders.

Western Illinois’ first home doubleheader will be January 4 against Southeast Missouri State.

All conference games and home nonconference games will be on ESPN networks, with a majority of the games on ESPN-Plus. Games that will be televised on ESPNU and ESPN2 will be announced at a later date.

Western Illinois’ schedule:

December 31 — At SIU-Edwardsville

January 4 — Southeast Missouri State

January 6 — Lindenwood

January 11 — At Tennessee-Martin

January 13 — At Eastern Illinois

January 20 — Tennessee State

January 25 — At Southern Indiana

January 27 — At Morehead State

February 1 — At Lindenwood

February 3 — At Southeast Missouri State

February 8 — Little Rock

February 10 — Tennessee-Martin

February 15 — At Tennessee Tech

February 17 — At Tennessee State

February 22 — Morehead State

February 24 — Southern Indiana

February 29 — Eastern Illinois

March 2 — SIU-Edwardsville