Aug. 11, 2009

2009-10 Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist Athletics Department released the 2009-10 women's basketball non-conference schedule on Tuesday. The Red Foxes are guaranteed 12 non-conference games, including eight games against teams that participated in the postseason last season. Marist will also play in the Women's Preseason National Invitational Tournament, which it will open at the McCann Center against North Carolina A&T on Nov. 13.

The Red Foxes will play at least three games in the WNIT, which concludes on Nov. 22. Marist will then make its first venture outside of the United States when it takes part in the Junkanoo Jam on Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas on Nov. 27 and 28. The Red Foxes will take on Oklahoma State in their first ever meeting with the Cowgirls on Friday the 27th. Following that game, Marist will play either Michigan State or George Washington on Saturday the 28th. The Spartans reached the Sweet 16 in the 2009 NCAA Tournament while George Washington played in the WNIT last season, marking the 10th straight season the Colonials have appeared in the postseason.

Marist returns back to the states on Friday, Dec. 4 to host Tulsa of Conference USA at the McCann Center. Following the Golden Hurricane's trip to Poughkeepsie, the Red Foxes will travel to St. Bonaventure for a game on Dec. 6. Last season the Red Foxes defeated the Bonnies 48-45 on Dec. 20, 2008. St. Bonaventure won a program-record 23 games a season ago and reached the WNIT quarterfinals.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Marist will host the Oklahoma Sooners at the McCann Center. The Sooners defeated the Red Foxes last season in Norman and reached the NCAA Final Four. Oklahoma could potentially be the second nationally-ranked team to play at the McCann Center. On Dec. 21, 2004, Georgia was ranked 15th in the nation by the Associated Press when it came to Marist.

Following a Dec. 12 game at Boston University, the Red Foxes will host the Hartford Hawks on Saturday, Dec. 19. Last season, Marist ended Hartford's 34-game home-court winning streak with a 78-73 overtime win on Feb. 15. The Red Foxes wrap up non-conference play with back-to-back Tuesday games at the McCann Center. Marist will take on Northeastern on Dec. 22 and Harvard on Dec. 29.

The Red Foxes are coming off a 29-4 season in 2008-09, their sixth straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season championship, and fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.