Kentucky one of Bearkats foes in 2009-10
9/26/2009 4:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball
A visit to historic Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY, a tournament in Cancun at Thanksgiving and a visit to Huntsville by former a former NBA superstar highlight the 2009-10 Sam Houston State men's basketball schedule announced Thursday by head coach Bob Marlin.
The schedule includes 13 non-conference games (six in Huntsville, seven on the road) and 16 Southland Conference regular season games. Sam Houston State also will be looking to make its eighth consecutive Southland Conference post-season appearance in the Southland tournament March 11-14 at Katy, TX.
"Obviously, making our first visit to Rupp Arena in Lexington to play one of the top programs in the history of college basketball in Kentucky is a highlight of the schedule," Marlin said. Sam Houston faces off against the Wildcats on Nov. 19. "We have a number of challenging games on our non-conference schedule that will help us get ready for Southland play. We're excited about the upcoming season."
The Kentucky game is part of Sam Houston's participation in the Cancun Classic. The Bearkats will also play at Cleveland State on Nov. 21 before heading to Cancun, Mexico, to play Oral Roberts on Nov. 24 and either Rider or Florida A&M on Nov. 25.
Other non-conference road games take Sam Houston to Auburn on Dec. 20, Wright State on Dec. 28 and Western Michigan on Jan. 3.
Isiah Thomas, former Detroit Pistons star and now head coach at Florida International, brings FIU to Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville on Dec. 22. The Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette visit Johnson on Nov. 30.
Sam Houston State starts its Southland Conference schedule with defending league champion Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 9.
The Bearkats returned eight lettermen from last year's Southland Conference West Division championship team including All-Southland Conference guards Corey Allmond and Ashton Mitchell. Sam Houston State has finished among the top three teams in the Southland standings each of the past five years.
The complete Sam Houston State men's basketball schedule for 2009-10:
NOVEMBER
14 Saturday - LETOURNEAU - 7:00
16 Monday - TEXAS COLLEGE - 7:00
19 Thursday - Kentucky at Lexington, KY - 8:00
21 Saturday - Cleveland State at Cleveland, OH - 6:00
24 Tuesday - Oral Roberts at Cancun, Mexico - TBA
25 Wednesday - Rider or Florida A&M at Cancun, Mexico - TBA
30 Monday - MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN - 7:00
DECEMBER
5 Saturday - LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE - 7:00
12 Saturday - ECCLESIA COLLEGE - 2:00
20 Sunday - Auburn at Auburn, AL - 1:00
22 Tuesday - FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL - 7:00
28 Monday - Wright State at Dayton, OH - 6:00
JANUARY
3 Sunday - Western Michigan at Kalamazoo, MI - 2:00
9 Saturday - *STEPHEN F. AUSTIN - 7:00
16 Saturday - *Southeastern Louisiana at Hammond, LA - 3:00
20 Wednesday - *TEXAS STATE - 7:00
23 Saturday - *UT-Arlington at Arlington - 7:00
27 Wednesday - *LAMAR - 7:00
30 Saturday - *A&M-Corpus Christi at Corpus Christi - 7:00
FEBRUARY
3 Wednesday - *UTSA - 7:00
6 Saturday - *CENTRAL ARKANSAS - 7:00
10 Wednesday - *Nicholls at Thibodaux, LA - 6:30
13 Saturday - *TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI - 7:00
17 Wednesday - *Lamar at Beaumont - 7:00
20 Saturday - *UTSA at San Antonio - 7:00
24 Wednesday - *McNEESE STATE - 7:00
27 Saturday - *UT-ARLINGTON - 7:00
MARCH
3 Wednesday - *Northwestern State at Natchitoches, LA - 7:00
6 Saturday - *Texas State at San Marcos - 4:00
11 Thursday - Southland Conference Tournament Katy
12 Friday - Southland Conference Tournament at Katy
14 Sunday - Southland Conference Tournament Katy
* Southland Conference game. All times are Central
