The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Announces 2004-05 Basketball Schedule
8/17/2004 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 17, 2004
OXFORD, Miss. - With 13 opponents that advanced to 2004 postseason play and 10 20-win foes, the Ole Miss basketball team faces another challenging schedule in 2004-05, as announced Tuesday by Rebel head coach Rod Barnes. The slate boasts 15 home games at Tad Smith Coliseum and a matchup with Tennessee-Martin at Tupelo's Bancorp South Center. The Rebels tip off the campaign with the Black Coaches Association Classic in Milwaukee, Wisc., Nov. 14-16. Also competing in the event will be host Marquette, Air Force and Penn State among others. Since it began in 1994, the BCA Classic has featured 16 different teams that have gone on to play in the NCAA tournament and six teams in the last three years that have reached the postseason. Last year's champion Xavier won 26 games en route to the NCAA Elite Eight. Other past participants include Kansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Arizona, UConn, Saint Joseph's and Wake Forest. The Rebels' non-conference schedule is also highlighted by home encounters with Florida State and Troy State and tough road bouts at Memphis and Virginia Commonwealth. The pre-league lineup includes a stretch of five games in 11 days in December. "I feel like we have a very competitive schedule, and probably a deeper schedule than in previous years," Barnes said. "We have several opportunities to get quality wins. This non-conference schedule should prepare us well for SEC play." Following the BCA Classic, the Rebels host Tennessee Tech in the home opener on Nov. 19. Other non-SEC home dates include an exhibition with Spirit Express Nov. 26, FSU Dec. 4, Nicholls State Dec. 13, Troy Dec. 15, Louisiana-Monroe Dec. 18, and Southeastern Louisiana Dec. 31. Ole Miss' road games during the non-conference portion of the docket are Arkansas State Dec. 1, Memphis Dec. 11 and VCU Dec. 29, while the UT-Martin faceoff in Tupelo is set for Dec. 21 as part of a doubleheader with the Ole Miss women's basketball team. The Rebels are beginning SEC play on the road for the sixth time in Barnes' seven years at the helm, and will open the conference schedule at Arkansas for the first time since the 1999-2000 campaign. Ole Miss faces each Western Division opponent (Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU and Mississippi State) twice on a home-and-home basis. The Rebels host SEC Eastern Division adversaries Georgia Jan. 12, Kentucky Jan. 19 and Tennessee Feb. 19, and travel to Vanderbilt Jan. 29, Florida Feb. 16 and South Carolina Mar. 6 in the regular-season finale. The SEC Tournament returns to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Mar. 10-13. Television assignments for the 2004-05 season are expected to be released soon. 2004-05 OLE MISS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Nov. 14-16 BCA Classic Milwaukee, Wisc.(Host: Marquette/Air Force/Penn State/Illinois State/Jacksonville State/SC State/UT-Arlington)Nov. 19 TENNESSEE TECH OXFORD 7 p.m.Nov. 26 SPIRIT EXPRESS (Exhibition) OXFORD 7 p.m.Dec. 1 at Arkansas State Jonesboro, Ark. 7:05 p.m.Dec. 4 FLORIDA STATE OXFORD 1 p.m.Dec. 11 at Memphis Memphis, Tenn. TBADec. 13 NICHOLLS STATE OXFORD 7 p.m.Dec. 15 TROY STATE OXFORD 7 p.m.Dec. 18 LOUISIANA-MONROE OXFORD 2 p.m.Dec. 21 vs. UT-Martin Tupelo, Miss. 8:15 p.m.Dec. 29 at Virginia Commonwealth Richmond, Va. 7:30 p.m. ETDec. 31 SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA OXFORD 2 p.m.Jan. 5 at Arkansas* Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m.Jan. 8 MISSISSIPPI STATE* OXFORD 2 p.m.Jan. 12 GEORGIA* OXFORD 7 p.m.Jan. 15 at Auburn* Auburn, Ala. 1 p.m.Jan. 19 KENTUCKY* OXFORD 7 p.m.Jan. 22 ALABAMA* OXFORD 2 p.m.Jan. 26 at LSU* Baton Rouge, La. 7 p.m.Jan. 29 at Vanderbilt* Nashville, Tenn. 7 p.m.Feb. 2 AUBURN* OXFORD 7 p.m.Feb. 5 ARKANSAS* OXFORD 2 p.m.Feb. 12 at Alabama* Tuscaloosa, Ala. TBAFeb. 16 at Florida* Gainesville, Fla. 7:30 p.m. ETFeb. 19 TENNESSEE* OXFORD 2 p.m.Feb. 26 at Mississippi State* Starkville, Miss. 2 p.m.Mar. 2 LSU* OXFORD 7 p.m.Mar. 6 at South Carolina* Columbia, S.C. 2 p.m. ETMar. 10-13 SEC Tournament Atlanta, Ga.* SEC Match All times local
