Miami Announces 2010-11 Women's Basketball Schedule
Sept. 8, 2010
CORAL GABLES –
Sixth-year head coach Katie Meier announced the 2010-11 schedule for the University of Miami women’s basketball team today. The Hurricanes will play a total of 15 games against teams that advanced to the 2010 postseason and will also be featured in four televised games on the year.
“When you play in the ACC, you expect to compete against the nation’s best. We know that it is not an easy task to reach the postseason, and we feel like our challenging non-conference schedule definitely prepares us,” said Meier.
Miami’s 2009-10 season ended with the most successful postseason run in school history. The `Canes were offered an invite to the WNIT and all they did was run off a school record five straight postseason wins on their way to meeting California in the championship game.
UM heads into this upcoming season with two returning All-ACC performers for the first time in program history and play in the friendly confines of the BankUnited Center on 20 occasions.
Shenise Johnson (First Team All-ACC) and Riquna Williams (Second Team All-ACC) are both legitimate All-America hopefuls heading into their junior seasons. Both scored 19.0 points or more a year ago – the nation’s highest scoring duo – and each left a big impression in the school’s record books.
The duo will lead the Hurricanes into a season that will have nine teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament and four more that played in the WNIT, as well as an always daunting conference slate.
“I believe with the experience and leadership that our upperclassmen bring, that this is going to be an exciting basketball team. People are going to want to see Miami play,” added Meier. “We believe this season will be one the University of Miami and its fans will be proud of.”
After an exhibition game at Rollins College on Nov. 6, the Hurricanes will host Kennesaw State in their season and home-opener on Nov. 12 at the BankUnited Center.
Next up, in the first of two non-conference road games, is Nebraska on Nov. 17. Last season, the Cornhuskers finished the season with a 32-2 record and were a perfect 16-0 in the nation’s top conference – the Big 12. Nebraska, ranked as high as No. 3 last season, visited Coral Gables on Dec. 5, 2009, narrowly escaping with a 76-71 victory.
After that, Miami will play in nine straight home contests, beginning with Miami (OH) on Nov. 20 and ending with UC Riverside on Dec. 18. UC Riverside, the Big West Tournament champions and NCAA Tournament participant, suffered a season-opening 86-63 loss at the hands of the Hurricanes last season.
On Nov. 22, Miami will face UAB and then it will host the Mayfair Hotel and Spa Thanksgiving Tournament – welcoming UNC Greensboro, Eastern Illinois and FAU. The `Canes will face FAU on Nov. 26 and either Eastern Illinois or UNC Greensboro the following day. EIU played in the WNIT last season and were the Ohio Valley Conference’s regular season champions.
After games against Southern and the high-scoring Cal State Bakersfield squads on Nov. 29 and Dec. 5, Miami will host old BIG EAST foe, Georgetown on Dec. 7. The Hoyas saw a resurgence in 2009-10, reaching a season-best ranking of No. 11. Georgetown received a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but fell to a fourth-seeded Baylor squad in the second round.
The `Canes face Alcorn State on Dec. 11, afterwards closing out their homestand with UC Riverside, before travelling to face the Southeastern Conference’s Ole Miss squad in Oxford, Miss. on Dec. 21. The Rebels advanced to the WNIT, losing a 66-65 heartbreaker to Samford.
After a week-long holiday break, Miami welcomes George Washington and Morgan State to the Mayfair Hotel and Spa Holiday Classic. UM will face George Washington on Dec. 28 and Morgan State on Dec. 30.
The non-conference schedule will conclude with Lipsomb visiting the BankUnited Center on New Year’s Day.
Two straight road games will open the ACC schedule, with trips to Charlottesville, Va. and Blacksburg, Va. to face Virginia and Virginia Tech on Jan. 6 and 9, respectively. The Cavaliers will be without Monica Wright, the 2009-10 ACC Player of the Year. However, Virginia still is a veteran team with NCAA tournament experience.
The next three games for the `Canes will all be televised on Regional Networks as Miami hosts Clemson (Jan. 14) and Boston College (Jan. 16) before heading to Florida State to face the Seminoles on Jan. 24.
FSU was ranked as high as sixth in the polls a season ago and were one of two ACC squads that advanced the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
NC State and Georgia Tech – both NCAA Tournament teams a season ago – visit Coral Gables on Jan. 27 and Jan. 30. Miami played the Yellow Jackets twice last year, falling in overtime in Atlanta and by four points at home. The `Canes also lost a thriller to the Wolfpack, 66-64, in Raleigh, N.C. on ESPN 2.
The Hurricanes next opponent, Duke was another NCAA tournament quarterfinalist and finished the season with a No. 6 national ranking. After a tough 69-62 loss at home to the Blue Devils last season, UM heads to Durham, N.C. on Feb. 3.
Miami will host Maryland on Feb. 10 before heading to Chapel Hill, N.C. to face the Tar Heels in the fourth televised regular season game of the year on Feb. 13. Miami ended the Terrapins 48-game home win streak last season, while going on to defeat a ninth-ranked UNC team in one of the biggest wins in school history.
UM will face Boston College for the second time in Chestnut Hill, Mass. on Feb 17 before hosting Wake Forest at the BankUnited Center on Feb. 21.
The `Canes conclude the regular season with repeat contests at home against Florida State (Feb. 24) and at Georgia Tech (Feb. 27).
The 2011 ACC Tournament will once again be held in Greensboro, N.C. at the Greensboro Coliseum, March 3-6.
Tickets are now available through the Hurricane Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-CANES, or visit us online at hurricanesports.com.
