SIUE releases first men’s basketball schedule under its new head coach
The start of the Brian Barone era in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville basketball moved another step closer Monday as the first-year head coach released the Cougars 2019-20 schedule.
The Cougars will play 15 home games beginning with Quincy University on Nov. 5 along with a challenging road schedule as it prepares for the always difficult Ohio Valley Conference .
“I’m excited about our schedule,” Barone said. “I am excited about the opportunity to play a tough road nonconference schedule. We’ll find out a lot about our team and the schedule prepare us as we work toward Ohio Valley Conference play.”
The Cougars open with an exhibition against Fontbonne Oct. 29 before the regular season opens with Quincy Nov. 5. SIUE plays just two other home games in November, welcoming Valparaiso (Nov. 12) and Northern Illinois (Nov. 23).
Chicago State (Dec. 4) and Lindenwood-Belleville (Dec. 29) close out the nonconference home schedule.
The nonconference schedule features five road games beginning with Iowa (Nov. 8). The Cougars will travel to Incarnate Word (Nov. 16) before SIUE takes part in the College Hoops Roadshow. Along with the Northern Illinois game, the Cougars will play at South Dakota (Nov. 18), Pacific (Nov. 26) and UC Riverside (Nov. 29).
Three more road contests fill out SIUE’s nonconference schedule in December. The Cougars will travel to Northwestern (Dec. 15), Winthrop (Dec. 17) and Detroit (Dec. 21)
“Our schedule also gives us a chance to get some of our guys close to home,” Barone added. “That is important to us in an environment where we are stressing and preaching a family atmosphere.”
The OVC schedule features an 18-game schedule once again and opens with four consecutive road games followed by four consecutive home games.
SIUE will travel to Nashville, Tennessee for games at Belmont (Jan. 2) and Tennessee State (Jan. 4) before heading to Kentucky for games at Morehead State (Jan. 9) and Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 11).
“We will get our first OVC test immediately,” Barone said. “Our nonconference schedule will prepare us to open the OVC schedule with four on the road.”
The home schedule begins with Tennessee Tech (Jan. 16), Jacksonville State (Jan. 18), Southeast Missouri (Jan. 23) and UT Martin (Jan. 25).
Other OVC home games include Morehead State (Feb. 6), Eastern Kentucky (Feb. 8), Austin Peay (Feb. 20), Murray State (Feb. 22) and Eastern Illinois (Feb. 29).
The Cougars will play other conference road games at Austin Peay (Jan. 30), Murray State (Feb. 1), Eastern Illinois (Feb 12), Southeast Missouri (Feb. 15) and UT Martin (Feb. 27).
“I believe the OVC is one of the premiere mid-major conferences in the country,” Barone added. “Every night we will face battle-tested, well-coached teams. We will work and find a way to improve and have success every night.”