Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Announces 2005-06 Non-Conference Schedule
August 18, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Aug. 18, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University women's basketball head coach Curt Miller has announced the team's non-conference schedule for the 2005-06 season. The Falcons' challenging schedule features potential opponents from the Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences, as well as three games in venerable Anderson Arena before Mid-American Conference play begins.
"I am excited about our non-conference schedule for the coming season," said Miller. "We have consistently raised our strength of schedule during my tenure, and the 2005-06 season will mark our toughest schedule yet. We have an opportunity to play against opponents from some of the top conferences in the country, including the SEC, Big Ten, Atlantic 10, Sun Belt, Colonial and more.
"Overall, I believe the non-conference portion of our schedule will help prepare us for a demanding MAC race."
The schedule opens with a pair of home games prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. The Falcons will begin the '05-06 campaign by hosting IPFW on Friday, Nov. 18. Three days later (Nov. 21), BGSU meets St. Francis (Pa.) at Anderson, in a matchup of 2005 NCAA Tournament participants. The Red Flash, 21-10 last year, have won the Northeast Conference title four years running, and are one of three 20-win teams on the Falcons' non-league schedule. St. Francis has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in nine of the last 10 years.
BGSU then heads to a Big Ten venue to compete in the Hampton Inn Classic in Bloomington, Ind. The Falcons open that tourney with a Nov. 25 game vs. IUPUI, then will face either Youngstown State or host Indiana the following day (Nov. 26). The month ends with a Nov. 30 trip to Detroit.
In December, the Falcons host Duquesne, looking to avenge one of just eight losses suffered in the 2004-05 season. The Dec. 6 game vs. the Dukes is BG's final home game prior to the start of league play.
The Brown and Orange then will head to the Sunshine State for a Dec. 10 game vs. Florida International. The Golden Panthers, 18-10 overall last year, have won 10 or more home games in 18 of the last 19 seasons, and are 245-53 all-time on their homecourt, Pharmed Arena. After a break for final exams, BGSU will close the pre-Christmas schedule with a Dec. 22 game at Oakland, a 21-win team from a year ago.
Following the holiday, the Falcons head to Philadelphia for the Hawk Classic, hosted by St. Joseph's. BGSU's first game in that tournament will be the team's third-straight contest against a team that won at least 18 games last year, as the Falcons face Delaware on Dec. 28. The Blue Hens went 25-6 last season, losing in overtime in the Colonial Athletic Association's tourney championship game and advancing to the WNIT. BGSU's second game in the tourney will be against either Iona or host St. Joe's.
The Falcons open the 2006 calendar year and close the non-league slate with a trip to SEC country for a Jan. 2 game at Kentucky. The Wildcats are coming off the longest postseason run in school history, having won 18 games and advancing to the WNIT's semifinal round a year ago.
In all, the Brown and Orange will travel to five different states and play five teams that won 18 or more games in 2004-05. The MAC office will release the league schedule at a later date.
The Falcons are coming off a 23-8 season, in which Miller and company won both the MAC's regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time in 11 years. A total of 10 players return from last year's 13-woman roster.
2005-06 BGSU NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER Fri., 18 IPFW Mon., 21 ST. FRANCIS (PA) Fri., 25 vs. IUPUI # Sat., 26 vs. Youngstown State / at Indiana # Wed., 30 at DetroitDECEMBER Tue., 6 DUQUESNE Sat., 10 at Florida International Thu., 22 at Oakland Wed., 28 vs. Delaware % Thu., 29 vs. Iona / at St. Joseph's %
JANUARY Mon., 2 at Kentucky
# Hampton Inn Classic (Bloomington, IN) % Hawk Classic (Philadelphia, PA) HOME games at Anderson Arena
