Aug. 31, 2009
2009-10 Schedule
NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State women's basketball team has finalized the non-conference portion of its 2009-10 schedule. The Redbirds will play 11 non-conference games, including four at Redbird Arena. Four of the non-conference opponents played in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.
"The non-conference schedule for the Redbirds will be both challenging and exciting," said head coach Robin Pingeton. "It's going to prepare us for another run in the always tough Missouri Valley Conference. Scheduling is very difficult and we have seven of our first 11 games on the road. However, I believe our non-conference travel has played a key role in our ability to win on the road in the Valley."
Illinois State opens the 2009-10 season at the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa. The Redbirds will face Pac-10 power UCLA Nov. 14, the second all-time meeting between the schools since 1982. Iowa hosts Santa Clara in the other opening-round game. The championship and consolation games will be held Nov. 15. Times for all games have yet to be announced.
After the Hawkeye Challenge, ISU returns home for three-straight games at Redbird Arena, hosting South Dakota State (Nov. 19), Illinois (Nov. 24) and Northern Illinois (Dec. 4). The home-opener is the second-all-time meeting between ISU and South Dakota State, who was nationally-ranked most of last season. The two teams first met in the second round of the WNIT in 2007. The Illinois State-Illinois series resumes for the first time in four seasons with the Fighting Illini's first trip to Redbird Arena since 2004.
"The atmosphere at Redbird Arena during our WNIT run last season was electrifying and I feel that this year's team, even though we have a very tough schedule, will produce a product that the fans will be able to embrace and help create the same atmosphere that drove our success," Pingeton said.
After more than a week off for final exams, the Redbirds will hit the road for four-consecutive games. ISU travels to Ball State (Dec. 13), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 15), Illinois-Chicago (Dec. 18) and Eastern Illinois (Dec. 22). The Redbirds close out the non-conference schedule with a home game against DePaul (Dec. 28) and their first trip to SIU-Edwardsville (Jan. 4).
Illinois State will also host two exhibition games against Division II members Kentucky Wesleyan (Nov. 3) and Truman State (Nov. 10).
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