2010-11 Women's Basketball Schedule Unveiled
8/23/2010 5:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
STATESBORO, Ga. - A tough non-conference schedule packed with national powerhouses will test the Lady Eagles right out of the gate as the Georgia Southern women’s basketball coaching staff unveiled the 2010-11 schedule. The season begins on November 14 as the Lady Eagles rekindle a rivalry with a perennial SEC power right up the road.
The Georgia Bulldogs welcome the Lady Eagles in the season-opening contest before action opens in Hanner Fieldhouse on November 16 with Mercer. The Eagles and Bulldogs last faced each other during the 2007-08 season, and have faced each other a total of 29 times in program history. “Georgia will always be a conference power and national power, especially going to their place,” stated Head Coach Rusty Cram. “It will be a very eye-awakening experience for our freshmen and sophomores who have not experienced that type of environment yet. For our freshmen, it will be their first collegiate basketball game and it will get their attention quick.”
After the Eagles open the home slate with the Mercer Bears, the second SEC power on the schedule rolls into Hanner Fieldhouse as part of a home-and-home, two-year agreement. The Alabama Crimson Tide visit Statesboro on Friday, November 19 in a 7 p.m. contest.
“Alabama continues to get better and better each year. But just having a team of that magnitude come to our place on a home-and-home basis is unheard of. We all appreciate Alabama for doing that,” noted Cram. “In two of our first three games, our team will play Georgia and Alabama. It’s going to be very enlightening for them and the experience we gain out of it will prove volumes for us.”
The second road game of the season will occur at Jacksonville University on Nov. 21 before the Lady Eagles fly to Dallas, Texas for a Thanksgiving week tournament hosted by SMU. The four-team tournament features Akron and Arkansas State in addition to Georgia Southern and host SMU. GS will open the tournament with Akron (Nov. 26) and will face either SMU or Arkansas State on Nov. 27.
“SMU will definitely be the team to beat in this tournament,” stated Cram. “The teams competing in the tournament are all very solid teams. Akron will be our first game and they finished up this past season about where we were in RPI rankings. It will certainly be a competitive tournament and we are all excited about it.”
Following the SMU Tournament, Southern Conference action officially gets underway with a trip to Wofford on December 1 before the team enters an 11-day exam break. The Lady Eagles will then take a trip to Florida, visiting Florida Atlantic (Dec. 12) and Stetson (Dec. 14).
“Florida Atlantic is a mid-major team that we’ve faced the past two seasons. Both teams are very competitive and we will have to play well to beat them. The Stetson game will be an early morning game, at 11 a.m., because of a pre-existing schedule conflict.” Cram said. “But in addition, the trip will get our kids out on the road, used to playing on the road and it gets them ready for conference season as well.”
After nearly a month on the road, the Lady Eagles will return home and enjoy their first SoCon weekend welcoming Chattanooga (Dec. 18) and Samford (Dec. 20).
“Chattanooga will be the team to beat this year in the league,” Cram noted. “But probably the most loaded team in the conference is Samford. They were a young team last year and therefore have the majority of their roster returning. Both of those games will be very competitive.”
After a short holiday break, Georgia Southern will close out its non-conference portion of the schedule when High Point University visits Hanner Fieldhouse on Dec. 29. The Lady Eagles then return to conference play for 17 straight league contests, eight at home and nine on the road.
Senior Night will take place on February 26 against Furman in part of a doubleheader with the men’s basketball team.
“This is the most solid schedule we’ve ever put together,” stated Cram. “It may be rough right off the bat, but it’s done for a purpose. Our non-conference portion of the schedule is meant to give our kids not only the great experience of playing against some of the top teams in the country, but also show them what needs to be worked on. Playing against top caliber teams will magnify your mistakes, but we will be a more competitive team after those ballgames.”
The annual Southern Conference Tournament, held March 4-7, will return to Chattanooga, Tenn. after the 2010 tournament was moved to Charlotte, N.C.
Ticket prices for the upcoming women’s basketball season have been set. A general admission pass for all 13 home games is set for $50, while single game prices are $8 for an adult and $4 for youth (ages 3-12). A Flex Plan, which includes five tickets that can be used for both men’s and women’s games, is priced at $25. The five tickets may be used at different games or all at once.
Season ticket renewals will begin in mid-September and new season ticket sales will begin in mid-October. Season tickets can be purchased through the official Georgia Southern Athletics website, www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com, or by calling the Georgia Southern Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-GSU-WINS.
