University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Men's Basketball Announces 2006-07 Schedule
9/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sept. 7, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- - Eighteen regular season home games, including Southeastern Conference member Auburn along with Conference USA foes Memphis, UTEP and UAB, as well as a road contest at 2006 NCAA Sweet Sixteen participant Bradley and a meeting with Alabama in Mobile highlight the 2006-07 Southern Miss men's basketball schedule released Thursday.
Six teams that reached the postseason last year including Elite Eight team Memphis, Bradley (Sweet Sixteen), Alabama (2nd round) and UAB (1st round), along with NIT teams Houston (2nd round) and UTEP (1st round) highlight the slate.
"We scheduled to the youth of this team, and as this team matures, we look to improve on it each and every year," third-year coach Larry Eustachy said. "With that said, there are some marquee games on this schedule as a lot of thought goes into scheduling. To have Auburn at home is a big hit for us. We changed some things to play Alabama in Mobile and that gives our fans a chance to see that.
"Scheduling is almost as important as recruiting, and we need to give these guys a chance to be successful."
After a pair of home exhibition contests against Lithuania Academy (Oct. 28) and Loyola, New Orleans (Nov. 6), the Golden Eagles open the season at Reed Green Coliseum against Belhaven College (Nov. 11).
The Belhaven contest marks the first of seven straight games at home, as Southern Miss also takes on Tennessee-Martin (Nov. 16), Alabama State (Nov. 18), Spring Hill (Nov. 22), Sam Houston State (Nov. 30), Savannah State (Dec. 2) and Southern University at New Orleans (Dec. 6) during that season-opening stretch.
A trip to Mobile to face Alabama (Dec. 16) in the Coors Classic at the Mitchell Center on the South Alabama campus opens the road portion of the slate, before returning home to face Reinhardt College (Dec. 19). The Eagles then take to the road again to Peoria, Ill., where they will face Bradley (Dec. 23) for a single game.
After Christmas, the Golden Eagles return to Green Coliseum to face McNeese State (Dec. 28) and then play host to Auburn (Jan. 2), before completing the non-conference part of the ledger at Savannah State (Jan. 6). The Auburn game marks the first time a Southeastern Conference opponent has played in Hattiesburg since Dec. 16, 1995, when the Eagles and Mississippi State met on the hardwood.
With the conclusion of the Savannah State contest, the Golden Eagles then turn their attention to their league slate which increased from 14 games a year ago to 16 this season and will include home-and-home contests with five conference members, while playing three schools at home and three on the road.
"The new scheduling format gives us two more games, which helps create more natural rivalries and helps promote this league more and I wish we could play even more now," Eustachy added.
The Golden Eagles, which finished 11-21 last season and 3-11 in C-USA action, play Memphis, UTEP, UAB, East Carolina and Tulane both at home and on the road. Southern Miss also travels to Rice, SMU and UCF, while entertaining Tulsa, Houston and Marshall at Green Coliseum.
The league schedule begins at SMU in Dallas, Texas, Jan. 10, and concludes with a home contest against Marshall, Mar. 3.
Following the SMU tilt, Southern Miss plays host to Memphis (Jan. 13) before traveling to UTEP (Jan.17) and UAB (Jan. 20) for consecutive road contests. A home game against East Carolina follows (Jan. 24) before the Golden Eagles play Memphis (Jan. 27) for the second time in two weeks - this time at the FedEx Forum.
Southern Miss returns from Memphis with a two-game homestand against UTEP (Jan. 31) and Tulane (Feb. 3), before heading to Houston to take on Rice (Feb. 7). Tulsa (Feb. 10) comes to Reed Green Coliseum after the Rice game, before the Golden Eagles head to Greenville, N.C. to face East Carolina (Feb. 14).
The only meeting with Houston (Feb. 19) follows before Southern Miss plays its final two regular season road contests at UCF (Feb. 21) and Tulane (Feb. 24). Southern Miss then finishes its league slate at home with UAB (Feb. 28) and Marshall.
Southern Miss then travels to Memphis for the second time for the Conference USA Basketball Championship, which is slated for Mar. 7-10 at the FedEx Forum.
Game times will be announced at a later date.
2006-07 Southern Miss Men's Basketball Schedule
| Date (Day) | Opponent | Location |
| Oct. 28 (Sat.) | Lithuania Academy (Exh.) | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Nov. 6 (Mon.) | Loyola, New Orleans (Exh.) | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Nov. 11 (Sat.) | Belhaven | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Nov. 16 (Thu.) | Tennessee-Martin | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Nov. 18 (Sat.) | Alabama State | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Nov. 22 (Wed.) | Spring Hill | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Nov. 30 (Thu.) | Sam Houston State | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Dec. 2 (Sat.) | Savannah State | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Dec. 6 (Wed.) | Southern-New Orleans | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Dec. 16 (Sat.) | Alabama | Mobile, Ala. (Mitchell Center) |
| Dec. 19 (Tue.) | Reinhardt College | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Dec. 23 (Sat.) | at Bradley | Peoria, Ill. (Carver Arena) |
| Dec. 28 (Thu.) | McNeese State | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Jan. 2 (Tue.) | Auburn | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Jan. 6 (Sat.) | Savannah State | Savannah, Ga. (Tiger Arena) |
| Jan. 10 (Wed.) | at SMU* | Dallas, Texas (Moody Coliseum) |
| Jan. 13 (Sat.) | Memphis* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Jan. 17 (Wed.) | at UTEP* | El Paso, Texas (Don Haskins Center) |
| Jan. 20 (Sat.) | at UAB * | Birmingham, Ala. (Bartow Arena) |
| Jan. 24 (Wed.) | East Carolina* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Jan. 27 (Wed.) | at Memphis* | Memphis, Tenn. (FedEx Forum) |
| Jan. 31 (Sat.) | UTEP* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Feb. 3 (Sat.) | Tulane* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Feb. 7 (Wed.) | at Rice* | Houston, Texas (Autry Court) |
| Feb. 10 (Sat.) | Tulsa* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Feb. 14 (Wed.) | at East Carolina* | Greenville, N.C. (Minges Coliseum) |
| Feb. 19 (Mon.) | Houston* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Feb. 21 (Wed.) | at UCF* | Orlando, Fla. (UCF Arena) |
| Feb. 24 (Sat.) | at Tulane* | New Orleans, La. (Fogelman Arena) |
| Feb. 28 (Wed.) | UAB* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Mar. 3 (Sat.) | Marshall* | Reed Green Coliseum |
| Mar. 7-10 (W-S) | Conference USA Championship | Memphis, Tenn. (FedEx Forum) |
All Games Broadcast on the Southern Miss/ISP Radio Network
