The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women's Basketball Announces 2009-10 Schedule
8/24/2009 | Women's Basketball
The Rebels will host a total of 13 regular-season games in Oxford after entertaining Christian Brothers University in an exhibition game on Nov. 5. Following that game, the Rebels will open the season Nov. 13 against Southeastern Louisiana in a doubleheader with the men's team. Ole Miss closes out its November home schedule on the 20th against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the Rebels' annual School Day Game at 11 a.m.
Ole Miss hits the road thereafter to take on Pac-10 foe Arizona in the first meeting between the two schools since 1989. The Rebels continue on the road and travel to Boca Raton, Fla., to take part in Florida Atlantic's Thanksgiving Tournament Nov. 27-28. The Rebels will take on San Jose State on the first day of the tournament and will play either host Florida Atlantic or Fordham the following day.
"I think we are going to be tested early because we are going to have to load up and go out west and play a pretty good Arizona team on its home floor," Ladner said. "We are going to be tested very early against a very good basketball team in front of a lot of people. Florida Atlantic is an up and coming team with a new coaching stuff. To ultimately win the tournament, we are going to have to beat them on their home turf."
The Rebels continue their non-conference schedule to open the month of December with trips to UALR (Dec. 2) and Old Dominion (Dec. 6). The Rebels return home Dec. 13 to take on NCAA Sweet Sixteen participant Ohio State before heading back out on the road to face Texas.
"I don't think there is anything easy about our games during the month of December," Ladner said. "UALR beat us in overtime last season on our home floor, and now we have to face a big challenge in trying to go into their gym and take one from them on their home floor. Then you come back and face two teams who will probably be ranked in the Top 25 in Ohio State and Texas. It is definitely going to be a tremendous challenge for us, but we feel like this stretch is going to prepare us for the rigors of SEC play."
Ole Miss puts the finishing touches on the non-conference portion of the schedule with back-to-back home games against Winston-Salem State (Dec. 20) and Centenary (Dec. 29), which will also be the second doubleheader of the season with the men's team.
This season also marks the first season the conference schedule will include of slate of 16 games. Ole Miss opens the conference schedule on the road against 2009 SEC Tournament Champion Vanderbilt (Jan. 3). The Rebels will also make in-conference visits to Georgia (Jan. 24), South Carolina (Jan. 28), Kentucky (Feb. 4), LSU (Feb. 7), Mississippi State (Feb. 14), Arkansas (Feb. 18) and Tennessee (Feb. 28).
"There is not one night that you can ever take lightly or ever take off in the SEC," Ladner said. "Ours kids have to understand that we have to play at a high level every single night, much like we did last season against Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Auburn. We play in the toughest league in America and you can't ever take anything for granted if you want to be successful."
The Rebels also play four of their first five conference games at home, beginning with a visit from Alabama on Jan. 7. Other home games include Arkansas (Jan. 10), LSU (Jan. 17), Mississippi State (Jan. 21), Florida (Jan. 31), Tennessee (Feb. 11), Vanderbilt (Feb. 21) and Auburn (Feb. 25).
For ticket information for the 2009-10 hoops season, call the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 662-915-7167.
