Tuesday, August 14, 2007

TUSCULUM RELEASES 2007-08 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

2007-08 Schedule

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College has released its 2007-08 women’s basketball schedule announced Pioneer head coach Missy Tiber Tuesday. Tusculum will face a challenging 27-game regular season slate, facing five teams that advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament last year.

The Pioneers posted a 16-13 record last year for their second consecutive winning season, while advancing to the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament semifinal for a second straight time.

Tusculum will also take on two Division I opponents in exhibition play in November. On Nov. 5, the Pioneers will travel to Tennessee Tech to take on the Golden Eagles, followed by a Nov. 14 road contest at Furman University.

Tusculum opens the regular season Nov. 16-17 when its hosts the Ferguson Enterprises Classic. The Pioneers open the event on Nov. 16 when they welcome Livingstone College to Pioneer Arena. The following day, TC will take on defending Conference Carolinas champion Pfeiffer University. Pfeiffer posted a 26-5 record last year and advanced to the NCAA II Tournament.

Tusculum hosts Converse College on Nov. 19 before beginning a four-game road swing, including two games at the North Georgia College & State University Classic in Dahlonega, Ga. Tusculum will face 2007 NCAA Tournament participant Columbus State University on Nov. 23 and host North Georgia the following day. Columbus State went 21-11 and tied for second place in the Peach Belt Conference North Division.

The Pioneers open the month of December with the first of two meetings against Brevard College. The Tornados have been accepted as provisional members of the South Atlantic Conference this season. TC wraps up the road trip on Dec. 3 at Lees-McRae College.

Tusculum returns home on Dec. 6 for its last contest in Greeneville before conference play begins as the Pioneers welcome King College. The Pioneers embark on a pair of 400-mile road trips in two of their next three outings. On Dec. 9, Tusculum will travel to the University of Southern Indiana for its first-ever meeting with Screaming Eagles (16-12 in 2006-07). TC returns to Tennessee for a Dec. 13 rematch at King before a 16-day stretch before returning to action at Virginia State University.

"Our coaching staff put together an exhibition and non-conference schedule that will well prepare us for South Atlantic Conference play," said Tiber.  "We felt it was important to face tough competition early, and the best way to do that was to play teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season."

The Pioneers open SAC play on Jan. 5 when they travel to Lenoir-Rhyne College. TC and the Bears split last year’s season series. Tusculum will play its first home game in over a month when they host in-state foe Lincoln Memorial University on Jan. 9. Tusculum swept the Lady Railsplitters last season for the first time since becoming a Division II member.

Tusculum hosts Catawba College on Jan. 12 in a rematch of last year’s SAC Tournament quarterfinal. TC pulled off a 20-point upset as the seventh-seeded Pioneers defeated No. 2 Catawba. Tusculum will be in Spartanburg, S.C. on Jan. 15 for a rematch with Converse.

The Pioneers next three games will be against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, beginning with a Jan. 19 home match-up against arch-rival Carson-Newman College. The Lady Eagles swept Tusculum last season by a total of seven points, combined. On Jan. 23, the Pioneers will travel to South Carolina to face two-time SAC Tournament Champion Newberry College. The Pioneers and Lady Indians have met the last two years in the SAC Tournament, including last season’s semifinal clash. Tusculum will be at defending SAC Champion Wingate University on Jan. 26, before returning home end the opening half of the league slate with a Jan. 30 battle against Mars Hill College.

The second half of the SAC season starts Feb. 2 with Lenoir-Rhyne coming to town. Following road trips to Lincoln Memorial (Feb. 6) and Catawba (Feb. 9), Tusculum is back at home on Feb. 13 with a rematch with Wingate, before traveling to Carson-Newman three days later (Feb. 16).

Tusculum returns home Feb. 20 to host Newberry, before entertaining Brevard for Senior Day on Feb. 23. TC closes out the regular season at Mars Hill on Feb. 27.

The Food Lion SAC Tournament begins Mar. 5 with quarterfinal action at campus sites. The semifinal and final will be held Mar. 8-9 in Hickory, N.C. The NCAA South Atlantic Regional will be held Mar. 14-17 with the winner advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight in Kearney, Neb. (Mar. 26-29).

- TC -