Published: August 04, 2008 03:09 pm         

NEW: Sycamores announce 2008-09 non-conference women's basketball schedule

TERRE HAUTE — The Indiana State women's basketball team, under the direction ninth-year head coach Jim Wiedie, announced today its complete non-conference slate for the 2008-09 campaign.

The schedule is highlighted by six home dates, including a pair of exhibition contests. The Sycamores will also travel to New Orleans, La., in early December to participate in the Big Easy Classic. The schedule also highlights rare back-to-back home games on consecutive days in late December against Eastern Illinois and Kansas State.

All told, Indiana State will face off against three postseason teams from one year ago in non-conference play. By adding games to be played inside the Missouri Valley Conference, ISU will face off next season versus seven different postseason teams from last year.

Included in that postseason tally is Kansas State, who was a No. 5 seed in last season's NCAA Tournament, as well as Marquette, who won the 2008 Postseason WNIT. Also included as part of the seven postseason team total that will face off against the Sycamores are: NCAA participant Illinois State as well as WNIT selections Southeast Missouri State, Evansville, Creighton and Drake.

The Sycamores downed No. 17 nationally-ranked Vanderbilt (a No. 4 seed in last years NCAA Tournament) by a score of 77-72 last season in overtime at Hulman Center.

"We have been able to put together a very balanced non-conference schedule for our team," Wiedie commented. "To be able to bring a pair of teams like Marquette, who won the WNIT last year, and Kansas State, who was a Top Five seed in the NCAA Tournament, to Hulman Center shows how far we have brought this program and will give us the opportunity to showcase our team against the nations best for our loyal fans. The Missouri Valley Conference race is going to be wide-open this year and we hope to battle-tested by January through playing a mix of home and away contests versus teams that will possess different styles that we will have to prepare for."

The Sycamores open exhibition play on November 1 when they host the University of Indianapolis and will face off on November 8 versus Missouri-St. Louis.

The regular season begins with a road contest at Central Michigan on Nov. 15 before the Sycamores host Marquette on Nov. 19. ISU is one the road for its next two contests when they travel to Detroit on Nov. 25 and then battle Southeast Missouri State on Nov. 28.

Indiana State returns home to face off against Arkansas State on Dec. 2 before embarking to New Orleans, La., for the Big Easy Classic on Dec. 5-6. ISU will take on New Orleans and Tulane in that tournament.

The Sycamores then travel to Ball State on Dec. 13 before hosting Eastern Illinois and Kansas State on consecutive days over Dec. 19-20.

The non-conference slate is rounded out with a trip to Butler on December 22.

The complete schedule, including Missouri Valley Conference games, will be announced in mid to late August.