University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Women's Basketball Announces 2011-12 Schedule
9/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sept. 15, 2011
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Miss Head Women's Basketball Coach Joye Lee-McNelis today released the 2011-12 schedule that features 10 teams that advanced to postseason play last season, including five that played in the NCAA Tournament.
The schedule also includes 16 Conference USA games as well as non-conference tilts against William Carey, UT-Martin, Kentucky, Florida A&M, UALR, UL-Monroe, Mississippi State, South Alabama and Jackson State. Southern Miss plays host to the Lady Eagle Classic that includes Georgia Southern, Jacksonville State and Stephen F. Austin and competes in a second tournament, the Montana Tournament that includes North Dakota, Idaho and Montana.
"Our schedule is challenging," McNelis said. "We feature 10 teams that played in postseason last year. Five of those played in the NCAA Tournament and were very competitive in the NCAA Tournament. Three teams in the WNIT and two teams that were in the WBI including our own UAB, who went on to win that tournament. It's going to be a schedule that is very challenging and a schedule that features some high profile teams."
The Lady Eagles open the regular season, Nov. 14, at home against cross-town foe Williams Carey and UT-Martin, before hitting the road for a game at Kentucky (Nov. 19) before returning home to host the Lady Eagle Classic, Nov. 25-26 and Florida A&M (Nov. 29).
Southern Miss begins the month of December on the road with a contest at UALR (Dec. 3), then, return home for a game against UL-Monroe (Dec. 10) before visiting Mississippi State (Dec. 16). The Lady Eagles return to Reed Green Coliseum to host South Alabama (Dec. 18) and Jackson State (Dec. 21) before traveling to the Montana Tournament, Dec. 29-30 in closing out the month.
"Our non-conference schedule is going to prepare us for Conference USA," said McNelis. "I believe this will be one of the best years in Conference USA. Last year was a huge success for our league with teams playing in postseason play and having success. I believe we've made the step in being more successful and more teams getting into postseason play. Our non-conference schedule better prepares us for playing one of the tougher schedules in Conference USA."
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 when they travel to Tulsa (Jan.5), then, return home to play the defending C-USA Champions Houston (Jan.8). Southern Miss plays two road games at Marshall (Jan. 11) and UCF (Jan. 15). Southern Miss returns home to host Memphis (Jan. 18), before traveling to Rice (Jan. 22).
Rounding out the remaining C-USA slate, the Lady Eagles host UTEP (Jan. 26), then travel to UAB (Jan. 29) and Memphis (Feb. 2), before hosting East Carolina (Feb. 5). Southern Miss then plays at SMU (Feb. 12) before returning to Green Coliseum for a four-game homestand beginning with UCF (Feb. 16), followed by Tulane (Feb. 19), Marshall (Feb. 23) and conclude with UAB (Feb. 26). The Lady Eagles close out the regular season play at East Carolina (Mar. 1).
The complete schedule follows: Nov. 14, William Carey; 16, UT-Martin; 19, at Kentucky; 25-26, Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic; Nov. 29, Florida A&M; Dec. 3, at UALR; 11, UL-Monroe; 16, at Mississippi State; 18, South Alabama; 21, Jackson State; 29-30, Montana Tournament; Jan. 5, at Tulsa; 8, Houston; 11, at Marshall; 15, at UCF; 19, Memphis; 22, at Rice; 26, UTEP; 29, at UAB; Feb. 2, at Memphis; 5, East Carolina; 12, at SMU; 16, UCF; 19, Tulane; 23, Marshall; 26, UAB; Mar. 1, at East Carolina; 7-10, Conference USA Championship in Memphis, Tenn.
