University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagle Basketball Releases '07-'08 Schedule
9/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sept. 13, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- - Southern Miss Head Women's Basketball Coach Joye Lee-McNelis today released the 2007-08 schedule that features six teams, East Carolina, Illinois-Chicago, Mississippi State, Rice, Tulane and UAB, that reached the postseason last year.
The schedule also includes 16 Conference USA games as well as non-conference tilts against Sam Houston State, McNeese State, Mercer, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi State, Jacksonville State, South Alabama, Louisiana Tech, Birmingham Southern, Illinois-Chicago and Miami (Fla.). Southern Miss plays host to its own Lady Eagle Classic and will participate in one other tournament in Cancun, Mexico.
"I believe coach Kirk Crawford did a phenomenal job of setting up our schedule," McNelis said. "He and I discussed what we left like we needed to do, to be able to build some confidence early with as many young players as we have.
"Starting out with our first six games at home will build a lot of confidence and it gives our fans a chance to see and enjoy watching this young team.
The Lady Eagles open the regular season Nov. 9 at home against Sam Houston State, and remain at home for the next five games, hosting McNeese State, Mercer and Louisiana-Monroe. Southern Miss hosts its own Lady Eagle Classic, Nov. 23-24, and will travel Mississippi State. Southern Miss then opens the month of December with a trip to Jacksonville State, before returning home to host South Alabama, traveling to Louisiana Tech and hosting Birmingham Southern. Southern Miss also plays in its second tournament of the season in Cancun, Mexico for the Caribbean Classic, Dec. 18-19, closing out the month of December.
Conference USA again plays in two divisions, East and West. The East teams consist of Southern Miss, East Carolina, UAB, Memphis, UCF and Marshall, while the West has Tulane, Houston, Rice, Tulsa, UTEP and SMU. The Lady Eagles open the C-USA schedule on the road at UCF, followed by games at Tulsa and SMU. Southern Miss returns home to host Rice, before heading to Houston.
Southern Miss will play consecutive home games, beginning with UCF, East Carolina, Marshall, Memphis and UAB. The Lady Eagles play at East Carolina and Marshall, before closing out their home portion of the schedule with UTEP and Tulane. Southern Miss concludes its regular season at Memphis and UAB.
"Our conference schedule will be a challenge for us, because we open up on the road to start," McNelis said. "The league has a lot of returning players from last year. Conference USA is right on the verge of breaking on the national scene and each year, we've earned a little more respect. I believe people are talking about us like they did the C-USA of old."
The regular season concludes with the C-USA Women's Basketball Championship presented by Aéropostale March 6-9, in Orlando, Fla.
Mbr>The complete, schedule includes:
Nov. 9, Sam Houston State; 13, McNeese State; 16, Mercer; 20, Louisiana-Monroe; 23-24, Lady Eagle Classic; 29, at Mississippi State; Dec. 1, at Jacksonville State; 4, South Alabama; 8, at Louisiana Tech; 15, Birmingham Southern; 18-19, at Caribbean Classic; Jan. 5, at UCF, 11 at Tulsa; 13, at SMU; 17 Rice; 20, at Houston; 25, UCF; 31, East Carolina; Feb. 2, Marshall; 7, Memphis; 9, UAB; 15, at East Carolina; 17, at Marshall; 22, UTEP; 24, Tulane; 28, at Memphis; Mar. 1, at UAB; 6-9, at C-USA Women's Basketball Championship presented by Aéropostale (Orlando, Fla.).
