Illinois State likely won’t release its men’s basketball schedule until around Aug. 22. That’s when the Missouri Valley Conference hopes to unveil the league schedule.
But other schools playing ISU in the nonconference have started to release their dates.
The Redbirds will travel to Edwardsville to play Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in the season opener at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the 4,200-seat Vadalabene Center. SIU-E is undertaking its first full-fledged Division I schedule this season. The Cougars will join the Ohio Valley Conference as a full-time member in the 2011-12 season.
Niagara will come to Redbird Arena on Sunday, Dec. 13 in the return game from last season’s Bracketbusters Game won by Niagara, 70-56.
The Redbirds will travel to Utah to face the Utes, who played in last year’s NCAA tournament, on Saturday, Dec. 19 in the inaugural Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge. Game time has not been decided.
Also, ISU will play Quincy University in an exhibition game at Redbird Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
ISU also has nonconference games at home against Central Michigan and on the road against Illinois-Chicago and Ohio University. Those dates haven’t been announced by any of the schools.
In addition, the Redbirds will host a round-robin tournament against St. Bonaventure, Norfolk State and Southeast Missouri State at Thanksgiving break. Two other games remain to be scheduled, while the Redbirds will be at home in February for the Bracketbusters.
Why would ISU ever play SIU-E at their place. It would be like Illinois coming ISU. They are taking a big chance of getting upset.
I’m glad we are playing SIUE at their place. It shows that we are willing to take a risk and play fair. It would be hypocritical of us to complain about BCS schools not willing to come here, while refusing to play schools like SIUE. If only some schools in the Big 10 would be willing to do the same…
Yeah, I heard that in 2010 the selection committee is going to be looking at whether your program is hypocrital or not. I’m banking on them appreciating the fact that we exhibit sportsmanship, hustle, grit, fire and passion.
This schedule while not riveting, has some potential to do us favors with the RPI should Niagara, Utah, and Ohio be solid teams again this year. Of course we would have to win all of those games. But should any of those teams drop off from last season, we better hope the Valley schedule is good enough to boost our tourney rank. I think the Valley should be strong enough this season to have 2-3 teams in the tourney.
Ray- By tourney, do you mean the NIT?
I am a big SIUE supporter and I appreciate the Redbirds willing to travel to Edwardsville to play a game. Just think they probably signed a 2 for 1 and decided this year would be the year. Its nice to finally have an in state school willing to come to SIUE. This will only help the state with getting fans to come to games Thank YOU Againg!!!!
Andrew- This isn’t about SIUE. Of course it is great for their program. Its a major coup for them to get a program like ISU play them 3 times. But it is an embarrassment for ISU. ISU has committed to playing SIUE 3 times!! One time, at home, I can see. But what kind of bargaining chips could SIUE possibly have to get ISU to play at their place?
The last two years the margin for error has been very tight for ISU when it comes to getting into the tournament. And every year a couple silly conference losses have kept them out, simply because their schedule was so weak. Now, in Osiris Eldrige’s last year as a Redbird, the same thing.
Jank is the worst scheduler in the MVC. What has he been doing all summer long? Is the really that bad at this VERY important aspect of his job? He seems like one of those, “aw shucks, I don’t want to ask anybody to play here, that would be out of line”
[...] play pickup games. Guard Lloyd Phillips had knee surgery in May and should be ready to go soon. The Redbird schedule does not seem likely to quiet complaints from ISU [...]
Dr.FeelSick, you are correct that it will not mean a thing to the selection committee, that was not my point. My point is we are doing the right thing. Sometimes you do the right thing, even if there is no reward. I wish we would play BCS schools. We drew a line in the sand not to play a BCS school w/o a return game. I don’t really agree with it, but admire the willingness to take a stand. That is the decision that was made and we are standing by it. ISU helping out a small school with an emerging basketball program is not the problem. The problem is the same 30 schools getting all the money and not be willing to let other in their elite club.
OK, so what if there are 10 mid-majors that get at-large next year and ISU doesn’t, even though they may have won 22+ games? When does “doing the right thing” lose out to getting into the tournament? And “doing the right thing” for who? Do you realize that since the last time ISU made the tournament in 1998, every other MVC has? When will they “do the right thing” for the program and its fans by giving themselves a chance to make the tournament?