08-26-2008, 02:42 PM
DALLAS (SMU) --- The SMU men’s basketball team released its 2008-09 non-conference schedule on Monday. The 13 non-league matchups include teams from the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Missouri Valley, and Mountain West conferences. The Mustangs have non-league games against teams from five of the previous season’s top-ten RPI conferences for the first time since 1991-92. Combined with the forthcoming C-USA schedule, SMU will play 12 games against 2008 postseason teams and five games against last season’s RPI top-50 and nine against the top-100.
“The goal has been to build the schedule as we build the program,” says SMU head coach Matt Doherty. “We are working toward our goal of being a top-25 program and scheduling is an important part of that. Our student-athletes want the opportunity to play top competition as we continue to establish a new breed of Mustang basketball.”
The Mustangs four non-conference road games are at South Florida of the Big East, State Farm DFW Duel rival TCU of the Mountain West, Texas A&M of the Big 12 and Northwestern of the Big Ten. All four non-conference road opponents will return to Moody Coliseum in 2009-10.
“The fact that teams from power conferences are playing home-and-home series with SMU shows the national respect that is building for SMU basketball,” continues Doherty. “The Crum Basketball Center and the upgrades to Moody Coliseum as well as consecutive top-35 recruiting classes have sent a message that SMU is serious about being a nationally-recognized program.”
The home slate includes the SMU Tip-Off Classic from Nov. 21-23 with 2008 NIT participants Illinois State (No. 35 NCAA RPI) and Alabama State as well as Houston Baptist. The Mustangs also host Colorado of the Big 12 and UT-San Antonio of the Southland in the conclusion of home-and-home series. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M-International, and Cal State-Bakersfield also visit Moody Coliseum this season.
The Ponies’ opener at South Florida on Friday, Nov. 14, is the Mustangs’ first game against a Big East opponent since a contest at then-Big East member Miami on Dec. 20, 1991. The State Farm DFW Duel matchup is at TCU on Nov. 26. This will be the 184th meeting of the rivals with SMU holding a 101-82 advantage and a three-game winning streak. The visit to Texas A&M on Dec. 17, is the first matchup of these longtime rivals since the Southwest Conference ended after the 1995-96 season. The Aggies finished No. 41 in the NCAA RPI last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The game at Northwestern on Dec. 23 is the first at a Big Ten foe since defeating No. 17 Purdue on Dec. 21, 2003.
The Conference USA schedule when finalized will include two games against NCAA finalist and defending Conference USA champion Memphis, CBI champion Tulsa, CBI participants in UTEP and Houston, and Rice. There will be one game each at NIT qualifier UAB, Marshall, and UCF with a home contest against East Carolina, Tulane, and Southern Miss.
All SMU basketball games are broadcast on the Mustangs Radio Network; which includes the flagship KAAM 770 AM in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For ticket information call 214-SMU-GAME, visit http://www.SMUMustangs.com, call the Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone line at 214-373-8000, or go to http://www.ticketmaster.com. Game times will be announced once broadcast schedules are finalized.
2008-09 SMU Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Day Date Opponent
Sat. Nov. 15 at South Florida
Fri. Nov. 21 Houston Baptist #
Sat. Nov. 22 Alabama State #
Sun. Nov. 23 Illinois State #
Wed. Nov. 26 at TCU
Fri. Dec. 5 Texas A&M – International
Mon. Dec. 15 Arkansas – Pine Bluff
Wed. Dec. 17 at Texas A&M
Tue. Dec. 23 at Northwestern
Mon. Dec. 29 UT-San Antonio
Wed. Dec. 31 Texas A&M – Corpus Christi
Mon. Jan. 5 Colorado
Sat. Feb. 7 Cal State – Bakersfield
“The goal has been to build the schedule as we build the program,” says SMU head coach Matt Doherty. “We are working toward our goal of being a top-25 program and scheduling is an important part of that. Our student-athletes want the opportunity to play top competition as we continue to establish a new breed of Mustang basketball.”
The Mustangs four non-conference road games are at South Florida of the Big East, State Farm DFW Duel rival TCU of the Mountain West, Texas A&M of the Big 12 and Northwestern of the Big Ten. All four non-conference road opponents will return to Moody Coliseum in 2009-10.
“The fact that teams from power conferences are playing home-and-home series with SMU shows the national respect that is building for SMU basketball,” continues Doherty. “The Crum Basketball Center and the upgrades to Moody Coliseum as well as consecutive top-35 recruiting classes have sent a message that SMU is serious about being a nationally-recognized program.”
The home slate includes the SMU Tip-Off Classic from Nov. 21-23 with 2008 NIT participants Illinois State (No. 35 NCAA RPI) and Alabama State as well as Houston Baptist. The Mustangs also host Colorado of the Big 12 and UT-San Antonio of the Southland in the conclusion of home-and-home series. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M-International, and Cal State-Bakersfield also visit Moody Coliseum this season.
The Ponies’ opener at South Florida on Friday, Nov. 14, is the Mustangs’ first game against a Big East opponent since a contest at then-Big East member Miami on Dec. 20, 1991. The State Farm DFW Duel matchup is at TCU on Nov. 26. This will be the 184th meeting of the rivals with SMU holding a 101-82 advantage and a three-game winning streak. The visit to Texas A&M on Dec. 17, is the first matchup of these longtime rivals since the Southwest Conference ended after the 1995-96 season. The Aggies finished No. 41 in the NCAA RPI last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The game at Northwestern on Dec. 23 is the first at a Big Ten foe since defeating No. 17 Purdue on Dec. 21, 2003.
The Conference USA schedule when finalized will include two games against NCAA finalist and defending Conference USA champion Memphis, CBI champion Tulsa, CBI participants in UTEP and Houston, and Rice. There will be one game each at NIT qualifier UAB, Marshall, and UCF with a home contest against East Carolina, Tulane, and Southern Miss.
All SMU basketball games are broadcast on the Mustangs Radio Network; which includes the flagship KAAM 770 AM in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For ticket information call 214-SMU-GAME, visit http://www.SMUMustangs.com, call the Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone line at 214-373-8000, or go to http://www.ticketmaster.com. Game times will be announced once broadcast schedules are finalized.
2008-09 SMU Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Day Date Opponent
Sat. Nov. 15 at South Florida
Fri. Nov. 21 Houston Baptist #
Sat. Nov. 22 Alabama State #
Sun. Nov. 23 Illinois State #
Wed. Nov. 26 at TCU
Fri. Dec. 5 Texas A&M – International
Mon. Dec. 15 Arkansas – Pine Bluff
Wed. Dec. 17 at Texas A&M
Tue. Dec. 23 at Northwestern
Mon. Dec. 29 UT-San Antonio
Wed. Dec. 31 Texas A&M – Corpus Christi
Mon. Jan. 5 Colorado
Sat. Feb. 7 Cal State – Bakersfield