Ladyjacks Release 2008-09 Slate
8/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Aug. 18, 2008
NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team released its 2008-09 schedule announced head coach Lee Ann Riley Monday morning. The challenging slate consists of 12 non-conference dates, and includes matchups against powerhouse programs from the Big 12, and Southeastern Conferences. The Ladyjacks will also take part in two four-team tournaments this season, including the Cancun Caribbean Classic.
"This is a very challenging schedule," said Riley. "We like to put our team through a competitive non-conference schedule. We have nine returning letterwinners from last year, and although we're young, we have experience on this team. I believe this schedule will help prepare our ladies for the Southland Conference season." The Ladyjacks will open the 2008-09 regular season on the road against Prairie View A&M Friday, Nov. 14, before returning home three nights later to face Houston Baptist in the 2008-09 home opener. SFA will hit the road four days later to take on Big 12 power, Baylor (Nov. 21). SFA will be back in the friendly confines of the William R. Johnson Coliseum to take on Tulsa Monday, Nov. 24, before closing out the month in Memphis, Tenn., at the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic (Friday, Nov. 28 - Saturday, Nov. 29). Although opening-round matchups have not yet been determined Memphis, Jacksonville State and Wichita State will be the other three teams competing at the tournament.
The Ladyjacks open the month of December against 2008 NCAA Regional finalist Texas A&M. The game against the Aggies is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m., and will be a doubleheader with the SFA men's basketball team.
SFA will be in Grambling, La., Saturday, Dec. 6, to face Grambling State. The game against the Lady Tigers is slated to begin at 6 p.m. The Ladyjacks will then get a week off before returning to the court to take on New Orleans. The game against the Lady Privateers will be a 7 p.m. tipoff at the William R. Johnson Coliseum.
The Ladyjacks will then hop on a plane and travel to Cancun, Mexico to compete in the Cancun Caribbean Classic Saturday, Dec. 20 - Sunday, Dec. 21. Matchups for the Caribbean Classic are still to be determined but the other three teams in the tournament are Missouri State, San Francisco and Tennessee-Chattanooga. The Caribbean Classic will be the team's last contest before breaking for the Christmas Holidays.
The Ladyjacks will open the new year, and close out the 2008-09 non-conference schedule, Saturday, Jan. 3, at Auburn. The Ladyjacks open Southland Conference play Saturday, Jan. 10, when they travel to Huntsville, Texas, to face rival Sam Houston State. The game against the Bearkats will be the lone regular-season meeting between the two teams since SFA and Lamar are switching division. SFA will play Central Arkansas, McNeese State, Nicholls, Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana twice during the regular season, while facing the SLC West division schools only once. The Ladyjacks league home opener will be Wednesday, Jan. 14, against Central Arkansas. The game against the Sugar Bears is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Ladyjack fans will have two opportunities to see SFA play prior to the start of regular-season play. SFA will host Arkansas-Monticello (Nov. 5) and Saint Mary's (Nov. 10) prior to leaving for Prairie View A&M. Both exhibition games are slated to begin at 7 p.m.
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