Salukis announce demanding non-conference schedule
08/23/2018 | 4:00:00 | Men's Basketball
2018-19 Non-Conference Schedule
The Southern Illinois men's basketball program announced one of the strongest non-conference schedules in school history today. The Salukis open the season at Kentucky on November 9.
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SIU will play at least three non-conference games against teams that finished the previous season in the top-26 in the RPI, tying a school high set in 2001-02. If the Salukis face Nevada, which finished No. 13 in the RPI, in the Las Vegas Holiday Invitational, the 2018-19 team will be the first SIU team to schedule four top-30 RPI non-conference games.
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"We have six seniors back from our best conference finish in 11 years. Based on that, we made the decision more than a year ago to make a non-conference schedule that would not only prepare us to win a conference championship, but also put us in position for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament," SIU head coach Barry Hinson said.
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The Salukis open the season with the program's first-ever game against Kentucky. The Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in Gary Parrish's early offseason top-25 on CBS Sports, and the game could mark the first time since Larry Bird was at Indiana State that Southern Illinois has faced the nation's No. 1-ranked team.
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"This is a great schedule that our fans should be excited about," Director of Athletics Jerry Kill said. "Give Barry and his staff credit; they made a tough schedule—and then added Kentucky. It should prove to people that we have a big-time Division I program. To do that, you have to play tough teams, and this staff took that on. Our fans should be looking forward to a great season."
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SIU's home opener is November 12 vs. Buffalo, which finished last year at No. 26 in the RPI and beat Arizona by 21 points in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls are the seventh-best non-conference opponent to play at SIU Arena, based on previous season RPI. The Salukis play the defending Mid-American Conference champions again in New York on December 15.
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Southern's home schedule also features games against Murray State (Dec. 12) and Saint Louis (Dec. 5). The Racers are coming off a 26-win season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament; they finished the year ranked No. 51 in the RPI. The Billikens are expected to challenge for an NCAA Tournament berth and were picked near the top of the Atlantic 10 Conference by Andy Katz.
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The Salukis travel to Las Vegas for a Thanksgiving Day game against UMass (Nov. 22) before facing either Nevada or Tulsa the following day. The Wolfpack are expected to be ranked in the preseason top-10 after returning its top five scorers from last season's 29-win Sweet Sixteen team.
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SIU stays on the road for a game against Colorado State as part of the MVC-Mountain West Challenge. Other road games during the non-conference slate include games at SIU Edwardsville (Dec. 1) and Southeast Missouri (Dec. 8). The final non-conference game of the season is against Winthrop in SIU Arena on Dec. 22.
Season tickets are on sale at the SIU ticket office, online at SIUSalukis.com/tickets, or by calling 877-SALUKIS.Â
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MORE QUOTES FROM COACH HINSON
"I really like our basketball team. I know this is a huge challenge for us. On paper, this will be the toughest schedule in the history of the program, but I have confidence in these young men. The non-conference schedule will prepare us as best as possible to win a conference championship."
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"Very rarely at the mid-major level do you get an opportunity to play a schedule this strong. Because of our maturity and the returning starters, this was the perfect time for us to increase the strength of our schedule."
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Top Non-Conference Home Games (based on previous season final RPI, since 1980)
Year        Opponent - (Prev. season final RPI)
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Mexico - 14
2001-02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Indiana - 16
1984-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UTEP - 16
1985-86Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Purdue - 18
1981-82Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tulsa - 21
2007-08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Butler - 22
2018-19          Buffalo - 26 (Nov. 12, 2018) - Buy Season Tickets Here
1986-87Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Western Kentucky - 26
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Top Non-Conference Games (based on previous season final RPI, since 1980)
Year        Opponent - (Prev. season final RPI)
2001-02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Illinois - 5
2008-09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UCLA - 5
2008-09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Duke - 7
1984-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Purdue - 7
1983-84Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at UNLV - 9
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Purdue - 10
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Louisville - 11
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kentucky - 12
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nevada* - 13 (*if played)
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Mexico - 14
2001-02          Iowa State - 15
1981-82Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas State - 15
1992-93Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Missouri - 15
2016-17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Louisville - 16
2001-02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Indiana - 16
2084-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UTEP - 16
1986-87Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Virginia - 17
1985-86Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Purdue - 18
1999-00Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charlotte - 21
1981-82Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tulsa - 21
1982-83Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas State - 21
2007-08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Butler - 22
2011-12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kansas State - 22
1988-89Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Villanova - 22
2004-05Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Vanderbilt - 24
1999-00Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tennessee - 25
2011-12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Xavier - 25
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Buffalo - 26
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Buffalo - 26
1986-87Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Western Kentucky - 26
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The Southern Illinois men's basketball program announced one of the strongest non-conference schedules in school history today. The Salukis open the season at Kentucky on November 9.
Â
SIU will play at least three non-conference games against teams that finished the previous season in the top-26 in the RPI, tying a school high set in 2001-02. If the Salukis face Nevada, which finished No. 13 in the RPI, in the Las Vegas Holiday Invitational, the 2018-19 team will be the first SIU team to schedule four top-30 RPI non-conference games.
Â
"We have six seniors back from our best conference finish in 11 years. Based on that, we made the decision more than a year ago to make a non-conference schedule that would not only prepare us to win a conference championship, but also put us in position for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament," SIU head coach Barry Hinson said.
Â
The Salukis open the season with the program's first-ever game against Kentucky. The Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in Gary Parrish's early offseason top-25 on CBS Sports, and the game could mark the first time since Larry Bird was at Indiana State that Southern Illinois has faced the nation's No. 1-ranked team.
Â
"This is a great schedule that our fans should be excited about," Director of Athletics Jerry Kill said. "Give Barry and his staff credit; they made a tough schedule—and then added Kentucky. It should prove to people that we have a big-time Division I program. To do that, you have to play tough teams, and this staff took that on. Our fans should be looking forward to a great season."
Â
SIU's home opener is November 12 vs. Buffalo, which finished last year at No. 26 in the RPI and beat Arizona by 21 points in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls are the seventh-best non-conference opponent to play at SIU Arena, based on previous season RPI. The Salukis play the defending Mid-American Conference champions again in New York on December 15.
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Southern's home schedule also features games against Murray State (Dec. 12) and Saint Louis (Dec. 5). The Racers are coming off a 26-win season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament; they finished the year ranked No. 51 in the RPI. The Billikens are expected to challenge for an NCAA Tournament berth and were picked near the top of the Atlantic 10 Conference by Andy Katz.
Â
The Salukis travel to Las Vegas for a Thanksgiving Day game against UMass (Nov. 22) before facing either Nevada or Tulsa the following day. The Wolfpack are expected to be ranked in the preseason top-10 after returning its top five scorers from last season's 29-win Sweet Sixteen team.
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SIU stays on the road for a game against Colorado State as part of the MVC-Mountain West Challenge. Other road games during the non-conference slate include games at SIU Edwardsville (Dec. 1) and Southeast Missouri (Dec. 8). The final non-conference game of the season is against Winthrop in SIU Arena on Dec. 22.
Season tickets are on sale at the SIU ticket office, online at SIUSalukis.com/tickets, or by calling 877-SALUKIS.Â
Â
MORE QUOTES FROM COACH HINSON
"I really like our basketball team. I know this is a huge challenge for us. On paper, this will be the toughest schedule in the history of the program, but I have confidence in these young men. The non-conference schedule will prepare us as best as possible to win a conference championship."
Â
"Very rarely at the mid-major level do you get an opportunity to play a schedule this strong. Because of our maturity and the returning starters, this was the perfect time for us to increase the strength of our schedule."
Â
Top Non-Conference Home Games (based on previous season final RPI, since 1980)
Year        Opponent - (Prev. season final RPI)
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Mexico - 14
2001-02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Indiana - 16
1984-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UTEP - 16
1985-86Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Purdue - 18
1981-82Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tulsa - 21
2007-08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Butler - 22
2018-19          Buffalo - 26 (Nov. 12, 2018) - Buy Season Tickets Here
1986-87Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Western Kentucky - 26
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Top Non-Conference Games (based on previous season final RPI, since 1980)
Year        Opponent - (Prev. season final RPI)
2001-02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Illinois - 5
2008-09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UCLA - 5
2008-09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Duke - 7
1984-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Purdue - 7
1983-84Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at UNLV - 9
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Purdue - 10
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Louisville - 11
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kentucky - 12
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nevada* - 13 (*if played)
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Mexico - 14
2001-02          Iowa State - 15
1981-82Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas State - 15
1992-93Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Missouri - 15
2016-17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Louisville - 16
2001-02Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Indiana - 16
2084-85Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UTEP - 16
1986-87Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Virginia - 17
1985-86Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Purdue - 18
1999-00Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charlotte - 21
1981-82Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tulsa - 21
1982-83Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Kansas State - 21
2007-08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Butler - 22
2011-12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kansas State - 22
1988-89Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Villanova - 22
2004-05Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Vanderbilt - 24
1999-00Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tennessee - 25
2011-12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Xavier - 25
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Buffalo - 26
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at Buffalo - 26
1986-87Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Western Kentucky - 26
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