2010-11 Schedule
JACKSONVILLE – First year Jacksonville State Head Coach Annette Watts has put together a challenging schedule for the 2010-11 women's basketball season announced by the athletic administration on Tuesday.
The 2010-11 slate features 13 home games, including an exhibition contest with NCAA Division II foe Georgia Southwestern on Nov. 7. The official start of the Watts era begins on Nov. 14 as JSU hosts Stillman College. The Gamecocks will be tested quickly as in-state rival Samford comes to Pete Matthews Coliseum on Nov. 23.
“I think the Samford game is an important game for us as they are one of the top teams in the Southern Conference and they are an in-state rival,” said head coach Annette Watts.
The non-conference portion of the schedule also feature road tests at Atlantic Coast Conference foes Florida State (Dec. 12) and Georgia Tech (Jan. 2). Both squads reached the NCAA Tournament a season ago. Jax State will close out 2010 with a visit to Auburn, Ala. on Dec. 28 to face the Tigers in their new 9,600-seat Auburn Arena.
“We have put together a very aggressive schedule,” added Watts. This schedule gives us a chance to compete against some of the best teams in the ACC and Southeastern Conference.”
After opening at home with Stillman, JSU will take on former Gulf South Conference rival Troy on Nov. 17 in Troy before trekking to Nashville, Tenn. for a duel with Lipscomb on Nov. 20. JSU will spend the weekend after Thanksgiving in the Sunshine State with match ups with Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 27) and Stetson (Nov. 29).
JSU begins its 18-game Ohio Valley Conference schedule at home on Dec. 4 against Tennessee Tech. The Gamecocks welcome Southeast Missouri (Dec. 19) and Eastern Illinois (Dec. 21) to Jacksonville prior to the holiday break.
“We are a team with growing expectations and playing excellent competition will only enhance that growth. Each game will be big as this team learns a new system and makes a new path,” continued Watts.
The Ohio Valley Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments return to the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. The combined men's and women's championship has been held at Municipal Auditorium five previous times: 1994, 1995, 1996, 2004 and 2008. The men also held its championship at the venue in 1989.
Starting with the 2011 Championships, all eight men's and all eight women's teams that qualify for the tournament field will gather at a single site for the entire tournament. Previously first round games were played on campus sites with the semifinals and finals being held in Nashville.
