| 08/23/05–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGUARS ANNNOUNCE 2005-06 MEN'S BASKETBALL
SCHEDULE
14 Home Games Highlight 2005-06 Campaign
CONTACT:
Kit Strief
MOBILE, Ala. - The 2005-06 University of South Alabama
men’s basketball schedule was announced on Tuesday by the
athletic department and features five teams that played in the postseason
last year. The schedule features Comcast Charter Sports Southeast
(CCSS) televised coverage of the 2005 Coors Classic, set for Dec.
17 at the Mitchell Center. The Sun Belt Conference has not yet released
its television package.
The Jaguars, who are led by fourth-year head coach John Pelphrey,
are slated to face four NIT squads and one NCAA Tournament team
from a year ago.
“When you look at our non-conference schedule, we have a very
challenging balance of home and away games,” Pelphrey said.
“We play at Purdue, at Southern Mississippi, at Tennessee
and host Houston in the Coors Classic. We also have recent Mid-American
Conference Champion, Western Michigan, coming to our place.”
The Jaguars play six non-conference home games and six away. The
season begins with Spring Hill on Nov. 18 at the Mitchell Center.
USA travels to Big 10 Conference member Purdue on Nov. 22. The Boilermakers
have a new head coach, Matt Painter, after the retirement last year
of legendary coach Gene Keady. USA returns home to face in-state
foe Alabama State on Nov. 25 before heading out west to meet Loyola
Marymount on Nov. 28 in Los Angeles, Calif.
December kicks off with a home game against Samford on Dec. 3, followed
by games at Southern Mississippi (12/10) and future Sun Belt Conference
member Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 14. The Jaguars host the seventh
annual Coors Classic on Dec. 17 as Florida State, from the Atlantic
Coast Conference, and Bowling Green, from the Mid-American Conference,
meet in the opener. USA battles NIT qualifier Houston, out of Conference
USA, in the nightcap. The Jaguars head to Montgomery for the second
meeting with Alabama State on Dec. 22.
After the Christmas holiday, USA hosts Louisiana-Monroe on Dec.
30 and NIT qualifier Western Michigan on Jan. 2 The Jaguars complete
the non-conference portion of their schedule at Southeastern Conference
member Tennessee on Jan. 4. Bruce Pearl takes the helm as head coach
of the Volunteers this season. Pearl led Wisconsin-Milwaukee to
the Sweet 16 last year.
The Jaguars open the SBC slate at home against conference newcomer,
Troy, on Jan 7 before traveling to face Louisiana-Lafayette and
New Orleans on Jan. 12 and Jan. 14, respectively. USA then returns
home for a pair of games against Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky
on Jan. 19 and Jan. 21. In the longest road trip of the season,
the Jags will play at Denver (1/26), at North Texas (1/28) and at
Arkansas-Little Rock (2/2) before returning home for three games,
starting with Arkansas State on Feb. 4. Louisiana-Lafayette (2/9)
and New Orleans (2/13) make return trips to round out the homestand.
“The league is very strong again this year,” Pelphrey
said. “One plus for us is that we have eight home games and
seven on the road. There are a lot of all-league players returning
this year, which will make for an outstanding conference season.”
USA makes its final regular season road trip with games at Troy
on Feb. 16 and at Florida International on Feb. 20 before returning
home to face Denver (2/23) and North Texas (2/25) to complete the
schedule. The Sun Belt Conference Tournament is Mar. 2 through Mar.
7 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
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