SFA Finalizes 2015-16 Schedule with 12 Non-Conference Tilts
9/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
2015-16 SFA MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin men’s basketball team has put the final pieces in place for its slate of 30 2015-16 contests by finalizing the 12-game, non-conference portion of its schedule.
Amongst the 12 scheduled games on the ‘Jacks’ regular-season, non-Southland Conference slate are four tilts against teams who made the cut for last year’s NCAA Tournament. Those squads include first round participant Baylor (Nov. 13), third round participant Northern Iowa (Nov. 17), second round participant Texas Southern (Dec. 5) and third round participant UAB (Dec. 29).
SFA will face two of those 2014-15 NCAA Tournament squads right out of the gates. The ‘Jacks ring in their 2015-16 campaign with a trip to Waco to face Baylor on Friday, Nov. 13. SFA trail 9-6 in their all-time series with the Bears after enduring a 67-51 setback against their in-state, Big 12 rivals a season ago. Baylor constructed a mark of 24-9 a season ago and bowed out of the NCAA Tournament by way of a 58-57 result against Georgia State in the second round.
From there, SFA travels north on Tuesday, Nov. 17, to participate in ESPN’s 24-hour College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon for the second time in as many seasons. Cedar Falls, Iowa, is the site of the 7 a.m. clash between the ‘Jacks and Northern Iowa who also crossed paths in the Tip-Off Marathon in 2014-15. SFA is in search of its first-ever triumph against the Panthers after coming up just short in their latest battle with the MVC institution - a 79-77 decision inside the William R. Johnson Coliseum.
The Panthers raced out to a 31-4 record in 2014-15 and dropped a 66-53 decision to Louisville in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. UNI owns a 3-0 all-time record against SFA.
SFA’s steps foot inside the William R. Johnson Coliseum for its first game-related activity of the season on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. when LSU-Shreveport comes calling. Following their sole home date of November, the ‘Jacks will embark on an excursion to the Music City for a three-game set during the week of Thanksgiving.
The Nashville Municipal Center in Nashville, Tenn., will be the site of the 2015 Challenge in Music City and the ‘Jacks first contest will be a 3:30 p.m. encounter with MAC opponent Western Michigan on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26). The Broncos booked a trip to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament last season and wrapped their 2014-15 season with a 20-14 mark.
A little over 24 hours later, SFA will be pitted against Tulane out of the American Athletic Conference. The two squads are scheduled to butt heads on the hardwood at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night (Nov. 27). SFA puts the wraps on its Nashville swing with a 1:30 p.m. outing against Appalachian State on Sunday, Nov. 29. At no point in SFA’s men’s basketball history have the ‘Jacks tangled with Western Michigan, Tulane or Appalachian State.
Just one showdown between 2014-15 NCAA Tournament participants is set to occur within the confines of Johnson Coliseum and that particular battle will take place on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. when Texas Southern makes the short jaunt north to Nacogdoches. The Tigers received an automatic bid to the dance by capturing the 2014-15 SWAC Tournament crown and amassed a record of 22-13 last season.
SFA’s tussle with the Tigers is the launch point for a four-game non-conference stretch in Nacogdoches. Tuesday, Dec. 8, is the date for the ‘Jacks first of two skirmishes against NCAA Division II competition as Henderson State travels to Texas from Arkadelphia, Ark., to face SFA at 7 p.m.
Another NCAA Division II team from Arkansas – Arkansas Tech, to be exact – rolls into Nacogdoches for a 6 p.m. confrontation on Saturday, Dec. 12. The ‘Jacks cap off their home non-conference schedule by returning to the site where they laid down some of their historic roots. On Saturday, Dec. 19, SFA will hunker down in Shelton Gym for a matchup with Our Lady of the Lake University.
Before December concludes, SFA will have put the finishing touches on its non-conference schedule. A trip out west to Tempe, Ariz., puts the ‘Jacks toe-to-toe with Arizona State at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22. The nationally televised engagement will be shown on the Pac-12 Network and the date marks the first meeting between the two institutions since the 2001-02 campaign. SFA trails in the all-time series 2-0. A season ago, the Sun Devils compiled a record of 18-16 and advanced to the second round of the NIT (National Invitation Tournament).
In their final tune-up before engaging in Southland Conference action, SFA makes for Birmingham, Ala., to duel on the hardwood with UAB on Dec. 29. The Blazers busted their fair share of brackets last season when the Conference USA tournament title holders brought down No. 3 seed Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. UAB closed out its 2014-15 campaign with a 20-16 mark and a loss to UCLA in the third round of the tournament.
SFA has only crossed paths with the Blazers on one other occasion – on Dec. 20, 1996, when UAB earned a 70-55 win.
The ‘Jacks unveiled their list of 2015-16 Southland Conference assignments last week and are seeking a fourth-consecutive SLC regular season title, SLC Tournament title and a fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Fans can purchase tickets for SFA home games by calling 936-468-5225 or online here.
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