Hurricanes Announce 2008-09 Women's Basketball Schedule
Sept. 2, 2008
CORAL GABLES – Fourth-year head coach Katie Meier announced the 2008-09 University of Miami women’s basketball schedule today, featuring eight games versus NCAA Tournament teams and four WNIT teams from a year ago.
The 29-game set includes 18 home games at the BankUnited Center, five contests against in-state opponents and two tournaments, both at home. Miami will play 15 non-conference games and a full slate of 14 conferences matches in the ACC – including a home contest versus Maryland (Sunday, March, 1), a No.1 seed in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
Miami will also host the ACC/Big Ten Women’s Basketball Challenge for the second consecutive season as they face off against Indiana on Friday, Dec. 5.
“We are very challenged by this schedule, and excited to play such tough competition,” said Meier. “Not only do we have the tremendously talented ACC opponents, but we also have BCS schools such as Indiana and Auburn. It is especially exciting to have those games at home at the BankUnited center.”
Meier added, “I hope the South Florida community can come out and watch these high-level basketball games and support us as their local team. Our up-tempo style is fun to watch.”
The Hurricanes open the 2008-09 season with two home games against Norfolk St. on Friday, Nov. 14, followed by Wisconsin-Green Bay, a 2007-08 WNIT team, Sunday, Nov. 16.
Then it’s two on the road for Miami as they face Houston and cross-town rival FIU, Friday, Nov. 21 and Tuesday, Nov. 25 respectively.
The Hurricanes close out the month of November hosting the first of two home tournaments. The UM Thanksgiving Tournament will include Chicago State, Santa Clara and Austin Peay, with the first round beginning Friday, Nov. 28 and the consolation and championship the following day.
December opens with the Hurricanes hosting three more opponents, the first, Florida A&M on Monday, Dec. 1, followed by Indiana, who advanced to the second round of the 2007-08 WNIT, in the ACC/Big Ten Women’s Basketball Challenge and ending with Binghamton on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Miami will play their lone December away game at UCF on Thursday, Dec. 18 before returning to the BankUnited Center to face Grambling State on Sunday, Dec. 21.
After eight days off for winter break, the Hurricanes host the UM Holiday Tournament, welcoming Duquesne, Auburn, a 2008-09 NCAA Tournament team and Brown to sunny South Florida, Dec. 29-30.
Miami brings in the New Year with two more home games, facing Cornell on Friday, Jan. 2 and then opening the ACC schedule with Clemson on Monday, Jan. 5.
The remainder of the ACC schedule features six teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season and two more that played deep into the WNIT. The first conference road game will be in Durham on Thursday, Jan. 8, when the Hurricanes take on Duke, a No.3 seed in the NCAA Tourney, who advanced to the third round.
Miami then returns to the BankUnited Center for a regionally televised game on Monday, Jan. 12 against arguably their biggest rival, Georgia Tech. Last season, the two teams met three times with the home team winning each game with a last second three-pointer and then Georgia Tech ending the Hurricanes’ season in the ACC Tournament. The Yellow Jackets were chosen as No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
Up next for Miami is their longest road trip of the season, where they will face a third round WNIT opponent in Boston College on Sunday, Jan. 18. Four days later, UM returns home to face another WNIT team, this time in Kay Yow’s NC State squad on Thursday, Jan 22. The Wolfpack advanced all the way to the WNIT semifinals last season.
After a week off, the Hurricanes will travel to Atlanta to complete the home-and-home series with Georgia Tech, closing out the month of January on Thursday the 29th.
On Sun., Feb. 1 Miami will host Wake Forest before taking a break from ACC play as the team travels to take on SIU-Edwardsville on Wednesday, Feb. 4.
The Hurricanes return to conference play and the BankUnited Center to face the Florida State Seminoles in the first of two meetings between the teams on Sunday, Feb. 8.
After a visit to Blacksburg, Va. to take on Virginia Tech on Thursday, Feb 12, Miami will complete their season series with Boston College in Coral Gables, with a regionally televised game on Monday, Feb. 16.
The Hurricanes will close out the month of February with three straight road games against NCAA Tournament teams. First up is Virginia, a No. 4 seed in 2008 on Thursday, Feb. 19. The next stop will be the second meeting with Florida State on Sunday, Feb. 22. Finally, Miami will face the four-time defending ACC Champion and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina on Thursday, Feb. 26.
The Hurricanes close out the regular season at home with another No.1 team in last season’s NCAA Tourney in Maryland on Sunday, March 1.
The 2008-09 ACC Tournament is slated for March 5-8 in Greensboro, N.C., while the NCAA Tournament will begin March 21at sites around the country.
For ticket information, please contact the Hurricane Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-CANES or visit us online at hurricanesports.com.
