YSUsports.com - Youngstown State Releases Challenging 2008-09 Men's Basketball Schedule

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July 30, 2008

Youngstown State Releases Challenging 2008-09 Men's Basketball Schedule

Youngstown -- An early-season tilt at 2002 National Champion Maryland, 15 home games, eight 20-win opponents and seven teams that made the 2008 postseason highlight the 2008-09 Youngstown State men's basketball schedule, Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced on Wednesday.

The slate also features a four-game homestand, a three-game homestand and a three-game non-league road week, which includes first-ever visits to High Point and Charlotte.

Of the 15 home games, six will be doubleheaders with the women's program. The 15 home contests are the most since the 2004-05 campaign.

"This is both an exciting and demanding schedule for our basketball program," Slocum said. "With the likes of Maryland, Kent State, Akron and Charlotte on the early part of the slate, our non-league opponents will test and prepare us for another challenging season in the Horizon League."

The Penguins open the 2008-09 campaign in the friendly confines of the Beeghly Center for the first time since 2004-05 when they host Buffalo, Saturday, Nov. 15, in a return game from last season's BracketBuster.

The Guins then take on Atlantic Coast Conference member and NIT participant Maryland at the Comcast Center for the first time in school history. The matchup against the Terrapins is also the Guins' first game against an ACC foe since facing Georgia Tech on Dec. 29, 1992.

After a home game against Allegheny on Nov. 22, the first meeting against the Gators since Dec. 18, 1935 , the Guins visit NIT participant Robert Morris in return game from last season.

For the fifth time in six seasons the Guins will take on Saint Francis (Pa.) and open a three-game homestand on Nov. 29.

The homestand continues and Horizon League play opens with tilts against Valparaiso on Dec. 4 and NCAA Tournament Second-Round participant Butler on Dec. 6.

After a break for finals, the Guins begin a week-long road trip at neighboring Kent State on Dec. 15 before trekking through Tobacco Road to visit High Point on Dec. 19 and Charlotte on Dec. 21.

The Guins return from Christmas break to host Lock Haven on Dec. 29 before starting the new calendar year with seven straight Horizon League contests.

A New Year's Day tilt at Detroit and a Jan. 3 contest at Wright State tipoff 2009 before the Guins return to Beeghly Center to host UIC (Jan. 8) and Loyola (Jan. 10).

Next, the Guins swing through America's Dairyland to take on Milwaukee (Jan. 15) and Green Bay on Jan. 17

The Guins close out the month of January with four home games in eight days hosting Cleveland State (Jan. 24), Mid-American Conference member Akron (Jan. 26), Wright State (Jan. 29) and Detroit (Jan. 31).

Five of the Guins' final eight games in the month of February will be on the road. YSU heads to the Windy City to take on Loyola (Feb. 5) and UIC (Feb. 7) before hosting Green Bay (Feb. 12) and Milwaukee (Feb. 14).

A mid-week visit to Cleveland State on Feb. 18 precedes the annual ESPN BracketBuster game on Feb. 21. This season, YSU has been tabbed as a home team. The opponent for the game is announced in late January while a certain number of games will be televised by the network.

The Guins close out the regular season visiting Butler (Feb. 26) and Valparaiso (Feb. 28).

The dates of the Horizon League Tournament are as follows - First Round on Tuesday, March 3, Quarterfinals on Friday, March 6, Semifinals on Saturday, March 7, Championship on Tuesday, March 10.