If you have not made the trip to Trojan Arena to cheer on the Troy basketball team, mark these games on your calendar as intriguing matchups for the Trojans.

Alabama State at Troy, Dec. 7, 1 p.m.

Troy hosts the in-state rival Alabama State Hornets. The Hornets are led by star guard Jamel Waters who has averaged 16.4 points-per-game this season. The Hornets were picked to finish seventh in the SWAC this year, but have come out to a promising 3-2 record which includes wins over a tough Jacksonville State team and Chicago State. Expect a high-scoring game. The Hornets have put up more than 78 points in their last three games.

Troy at Kansas State, Dec. 15, 5 p.m.

If you feel like making the trip to Manhattan, Kan. be sure to catch the Trojans as they take on the Wildcats. Kansas State has had a perplexing season so far, pairing quality wins over Long Beach State and Oral Roberts with a perplexing loss against Northern Colorado. The Wildcats are a physical, defense first team, and they will try to beat the Trojans up on the glass.

Troy v. UC-Santa Barbara, Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m.

Troy will have the opportunity to test itself against a perennial tournament contender when they play the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos at the Traveler’s Classic in Logan, Utah. The Gauchos move the ball around better than almost anyone in the nation. They rank twenty-fourth in assists-per-game and fifty-eighth in field goal percentage. Expect a high-flying, up-and-down game as both teams looks for a quality non-conference win to boost their RPIs.

Troy v. Utah State, Dec. 21, 9:05 p.m.

Troy will face off against one the better mid-major programs in their final game of the Traveler’s Classic. Utah State is undefeated on the year and already has victories over USC and Mississippi State. The Aggies made the tournament every year from 2009-2011, and they look poised to make a run in the deep Mountain West Conference. A win over Utah State would show Troy is a force to be reckoned with in the Sun Belt.

Western Kentucky at Troy, Jan. 4, 7:30 p.m., Troy at Western Kentucky, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.

Troy has two chances to test itself against one of the Sun Belt’s best this season. Western Kentucky is the only Sun Belt team to have made a final four. The Hilltoppers represented the Sun Belt in the NCAA tournament as a 16-seed where they lost 57-64 to Kansas. The Hilltoppers were picked to win the conference in the preseason. A Troy win over Western Kentucky would place them in prime position to make a run in the conference tournament.

South Alabama at Troy, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m., Troy at South Alabama, Feb. 22, 7:05 p.m.

Troy has two chances to upset in-state rival South Alabama this season. South Alabama has been picked to finish second in the league behind Western Kentucky. The Jaguars are led by senior forward Augustine Rubit who was named as the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year. Upsetting the Jaguars will be a tall order for the Trojans. Last year, the Jaguars swept the Trojans.