Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball unveils 2010-11 schedule
08/27/2010 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 27, 2010
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University released its men's basketball schedule on Friday, unveiling a slate that features 16 regular-season home games this season, plus in-state trips to play Big Ten opponents Illinois and Purdue.
The Salukis open the season at Illinois (Nov. 13) in what will be just the third meeting between two schools with strong basketball traditions, who are separated by only 200 miles.
The home opener, in which SIU will christen its renovated arena, will be played before a nationwide audience on ESPN, as the team plays Northeastern (Nov. 16) as part of the ESPN College Hoops Tipoff Marathon.
The next four games will be part of the Chicago Invitational Challenge, with home games against Austin Peay (Nov. 21) and Charleston Southern (Nov. 23), before the Salukis head to Chicago for a meeting with the Boilermakers (Nov. 26) and the winner/loser of Wright State and Richmond.
SIU returns home to play New Mexico (Dec. 1), a team that is expected to be nationally ranked, as part of the Missouri Valley Conference-Mountain West Conference Challenge.
"The first few weeks of our schedule are very challenging," head coach Chris Lowery said. "There is already a sense of urgency among our players. They know we have to be ready from the get-go."
The rest of the non-conference schedule features road trips to Chicago State (Dec. 4) and Western Kentucky (Dec. 11), plus home dates with SEMO (Dec. 8), Northern Illinois (Dec. 22) and a BracketBusters opponent to be determined in February (Feb. 19).
Southern begins conference play at Drake on Dec. 29 and plays three, critical home games during the first 10 days of the new year -- UNI (Jan. 1), Creighton (Jan. 7) and Illinois Sate (Jan. 9).
The Salukis play five of their final eight games at home during the month of Feburary.
SIU returns a nucleus of established players, including senior forward Carlton Fay, senior guard Justin Bocot and the 2010 MVC Freshaman of the Year Eugene Teague. Other key returnees include senior guards John Freeman and Jack Crowder, plus senior forward Nate Mitchell and sophomore point guard Kendal Brown-Surles.
To purchase season tickets, call (618) 453-2000 or visit the ticket office in person at SIU Arena. Single-game tickets will go on-sale in October.
