University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Announces Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
8/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 24, 2010
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Games against in-state foe Ole Miss, California and former Conference USA foe South Florida, including a nationally televised in-season tournament, highlight Southern Miss' 2010-11 men's basketball non-conference schedule, head coach Larry Eustachy announced Monday.
The Golden Eagles play 14 non-conference games, including at least five games against teams that made postseason play last year. Half of their non-conference games will be played at Reed Green Coliseum. They will also face six opponents who had an RPI in the Top 100 last year.
Before the season starts, Southern Miss will host cross-town rival William Carey in an exhibition game on Nov. 4. The teams had met six of the previous seven years, with the Black and Gold winning all six games.
The Golden Eagles open the season away from home for the second straight year when they travel to Big East foe South Florida to face the Bulls on Nov. 12. It will be the first time the teams will meet since USF left Conference USA following the 2004-05 season. The Bulls, who had an RPI of 83 last year, are also coming off an appearance in the NIT and will return the game, coming to Hattiesburg in 2011.
Southern Miss will then return to Hattiesburg for four straight home games. It will open the homestand on Nov. 17 against South Alabama. Last year, the Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak to the Jaguars, defeating USA, 66-54, in Mobile.
The Eagles then renew a series with McNeese State on Nov. 22. After facing each other the previous five years, the teams failed to play last year.
The Black and Gold then hosts Spring Hill on Nov. 27. It will be the 66th meeting between the two schools, the fifth most games against one opponent for the Eagles.
Southern Miss closes out the homestand with its first of three games against in-state opponents when it welcomes Alcorn State to Reed Green Coliseum on Dec. 1.
The Golden Eagles will travel to Oxford for the second straight year on Dec. 4 to face Ole Miss (RPI - 54). It is also the first of a possible two meetings with the Rebels. It will be the fourth straight season that the teams will meet. Ole Miss is coming of a trip to the NIT Final Four. Southern Miss looks to avenge a last second, 81-79 loss at Ole Miss last year.
Southern Miss returns home on Dec. 7 when it faces the University of Denver. It will be just the third meeting between the two schools.
The Black and Gold then goes on the road for five games, beginning with a two-game swing in California. They open the swing on Dec. 11 at Cal State-Monterey Bay. The next day, they travel to Berkeley to face Pac-10 regular season champion California (22).
The Golden Eagles then take 10 days off for exams before heading to Cancun, Mexico to play in the inaugural Cancun Governor's Cup, Dec. 22-24. Southern Miss opens the tournament against Atlantic Sun Champion East Tennessee State. It will be the first meeting between the two schools since 1992.
The next day, Southern Miss will play Northeastern (77) or former Conference USA foe Saint Louis (80). Northeastern is coming off a trip to the NIT, while Saint Louis participated in the CBI, making it to the championship series. The final game of the tournament will come against Appalachian State (93), Colorado State, Ole Miss or Texas State. The semifinals of the winner's bracket will be televised on ESPNU, while the consolation and championship game will be televised on ESPN2.
Southern Miss closes its non-conference slate on Dec. 29-30 when it hosts the Hardwood Club Holiday Tournament at Reed Green Coliseum. Savannah State and Southeastern Louisiana opens the tournament on the 29th, followed by Southern Miss against Mississippi Valley State. The consolation and championship will be played on the 30th.
The Conference USA schedule will not be released until mid-September.
