BOLIVAR, Mo. — SBU Bearcat head coach, Jeff Guiot, has announced his men's basketball schedule for the upcoming 2008-09 season, which will include a trip to the University of Utah on November 15.
Guiot commented his team's trip to Salt Lake City.
"We wanted to make our pre-conference schedule as tough as we could make it. We try and play the best teams each year who are willing to play us. We're very excited to start things off with Utah, a high-major D-I program. We're starting the season with this game because we have very high expectations for this team."
The Bearcats' schedule includes two key games at home, as SBU will look to avenge a couple of losses from last season. The Bearcats host arch-rival Drury on November 22 and entertain Southwestern Oklahoma State on December 9. Drury ended the season at #11 in the nation. Southwestern Oklahoma State made it as high as #8 early last season, before dropping in the polls.
With the University of Nebraska-Omaha entering the MIAA, the Bearcats will begin their conference schedule a bit earlier than in the past. Central Missouri will travel to Bolivar on December 2 to begin play in the MIAA. The Bearcats will also feature a pair of afternoon games in Bolivar. SBU will host Truman State at 3:30 on New Year's Eve and play a Valentine's Day contest against Washburn also at 3:30. After the Washburn game on February 14, SBU Athletics will host their annual Hall of Fame Induction and Senior Recognition Banquet.
"UNO was nationally ranked last season," said Guiot. "So they are going to make the MIAA, already one of the nation's very best conferences, even tougher."
The Bearcats are the reigning MIAA regular-season champions, were a perfect 15-0 at home during the 2007-08 campaign, and were ranked as high as #15 in the nation last season. The Bearcats return four starters to the 2008-09 team. Matt Rogers (6-10, Junior), D'Ante Harris (6-3, Senior), Nick Kovacevich (6-5, Senior) and Brandon Burgette (6-0, Senior) will be joined by key newcomers Wendell Mardis, Jr. (5-10, Senior, Alabama State), Tomas Brock (6-1, Sophomore, Missouri State), and Gerren Rogers (6-8, Junior, Lincoln College).
