Men's Basketball announces non-conference schedule
07/02/2007 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
July 2, 2007
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois announced its 2007-08 non-conference men's basketball schedule on Monday, a slate that features 17 home games, including matchups with 2007 NCAA Tournament teams Indiana and Butler.
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The Indiana game will take place on Dec. 1, 2007, exactly six years to the date when Southern Illinois beat the Hoosiers, 72-60, in front of a sold-out crowd at SIU Arena. That game also marks the last time Southern has hosted a Big Ten opponent.
The Salukis will host Butler on Dec. 28, in a rematch of last-year's thrilling BracketBusters victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Both teams are coming off of NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances. SIU finished last season with a 29-7 record and a #11 ranking, while Butler also had a 29-7 record, plus a #13 ranking.
Four opponents from last season (Indiana, Saint Mary's, Western Kentucky and Butler) will be returning "home-and-home" games to Carbondale this year.
New home-and-home series beginning this season are Mid-American Conference opponent Northern Illinois (home) and Atlantic 10 foe Charlotte (away). The game versus the Huskies will be SIU's regular-season opener on Nov. 17.
The Salukis will also compete in an eight-team exempt tournament in Anaheim, Calif. during Thanksgiving. In addition to SIU, the field features USC, UC-Irvine, Mississippi State, Tulane, South Alabama, Miami (Ohio) and San Diego. The tournament is being sponsored by ESPN and first-round pairings will be announced at a later date.
Rounding out the non-conference schedule is a tentative return trip to Murray State. A date has not been confirmed for that game.
The Salukis will again play a full, 18-game conference schedule with nine home games. The MVC will announce its schedule in August.