Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Unveils 2007-08 Men's Basketball Schedule
8/31/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 31, 2007
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University head men's basketball coach Donnie Jones, entering his first season with the Thundering Herd, announced today his team's 2007-08 schedule, which features 17 regular-season home games and a 16-game Conference USA slate.
"We have some tough games scheduled this season," Jones said. "Every game in league play is a challenge, so we hope that our non-conference schedule will help us grow and carry momentum into Conference USA play."
The 101st season of Marshall men's basketball will begin with three straight home games, starting with a matchup against Jones' alma mater, Pikeville College, on Nov. 13 at the Cam Henderson Center. East Tennessee State, a 2007 NIT participant, will play the first of a home-and-home season series versus Marshall on Nov. 20, before the Herd's return trip to Johnson City, Tenn., on Dec. 4. The Herd's three-game homestand, one of three homestands next season of at least three games, will conclude when MU faces Boston University (Nov. 25) for the first time.
Six of Marshall's scheduled opponents qualified for postseason play in 2007, including NCAA Tournament regional finalist and C-USA rival Memphis. The Tigers, 33-4 last season and 16-0 in league play, will visit the Henderson Center on Jan. 12 for the Herd's C-USA home opener. It will mark the Tigers third ever appearance in Huntington and first since third-ranked Memphis dealt the Herd a 10-point loss in a wild affair at the Henderson Center in February of 2006.
The Herd, 13-19 in 2006-07, will face Big East power Louisville for the first time since 1979 in the Herd's final non-conference road tilt on Dec. 18. The three-time defending Big South champion Winthrop Eagles will serve as Marshall's first opponent of 2008, on Jan. 5, in the Herd's last non-conference game prior to C-USA action getting underway.
Both Louisville and Winthrop advanced to the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
"We are playing teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament, teams that have been where we ultimately want to be," Jones said.
The Herd's first road game of the season will pit Marshall against Horizon League champion and NCAA participant Wright State on Nov. 28. MU defeated the Raiders 79-72 last season at the Henderson Center in the first ever meeting between the two schools.
Marshall will play a pair of December home games that bookend final exam week, Dec. 1 versus Morehead State and Dec. 14 versus Rio Grande. After its game at Louisville on Dec. 18, the Herd returns to the Henderson Center for a season-high, four-game homestand versus Princeton (Dec. 22), Lipscomb (Dec. 29), San Diego (Dec. 31) and Winthrop (Jan. 5).
The matchups with Lipscomb and San Diego will mark the first time in team history MU has faced each school.
Marshall will take on NIT champion and intra-state rival West Virginia in the annual Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic in Charleston, W.Va., on Jan. 23. MU and WVU have split the last six meetings in this series, with the average margin of victory at 5.7 points in that span.
Marshall's C-USA opener will come in Houston, Texas, versus the Rice Owls on Jan. 9. The Herd's seven other league road games include contests at East Carolina (Jan. 16), Houston (Jan. 26), UAB (Feb. 2), UCF (Feb. 6), SMU (Feb. 13), Tulsa (March 1) and Tulane (March 5).
"We start off the Conference USA schedule on the road (at Rice), then come home to play probable preseason favorite Memphis, so we're definitely playing a league schedule that starts off strong," Jones said. "With West Virginia in the middle of the C-USA schedule it will make for a very demanding start to 2008."
Following the conference home opener versus Memphis on Jan. 12, the Herd will welcome UAB (Jan. 19), Tulsa (Jan. 30), East Carolina (Feb. 9), Tulane (Feb. 16), UTEP (Feb. 20), UCF (Feb. 23) and Southern Miss (March 8) to the Henderson Center.
The 2008 Conference USA Championship will once again be played at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. The tournament tips off on March 12, with the championship game to be played on March 15.
Marshall's exhibition schedule consists of a pair of home games versus West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference members Fairmont State (Nov. 1) and West Liberty (Nov. 6).
Starting times are yet to be determined and will be announced at a later date.
Nov. 1 FAIRMONT STATE (Exhib.)
Nov. 6 WEST LIBERTY (Exhib.)
Nov. 13 PIKEVILLE COLLEGE
Nov. 20 EAST TENNESSEE STATE
Nov. 25 BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Nov. 28 at Wright State
Dec. 1 MOREHEAD STATE
Dec. 4 at East Tennessee State
Dec. 14 RIO GRANDE
Dec. 18 at Louisville
Dec. 22 PRINCETON
Dec. 29 LIPSCOMB
Dec. 31 SAN DIEGO
Jan. 5 WINTHROP
Jan. 9 at Rice*
Jan. 12 MEMPHIS*
Jan. 16 at East Carolina*
Jan. 19 UAB*
Jan. 23 vs. West Virginia (Charleston, W.Va.)
Jan. 26 at Houston*
Jan. 30 TULSA*
Feb. 2 at UAB*
Feb. 6 at UCF*
Feb. 9 EAST CAROLINA*
Feb. 13 at SMU*
Feb. 16 TULANE*
Feb. 20 UTEP*
Feb. 23 UCF*
March 1 at Tulsa*
March 5 at Tulane*
March 8 SOUTHERN MISS*
March 12-15 Conference USA Championship (Memphis, Tenn.)
March 20-23 NCAA First/Second Rounds
March 27-30 NCAA Regionals
April 5-7 NCAA Final Four (San Antonio, Texas)
Home games in BOLD CAPS
* Conference USA Games
