POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist women's basketball team and head coach Brian Giorgis have announced the 10 game 2015 non-conference portion of the schedule. The Red Foxes will play three games on their home court, four games on the road, and three neutral site games as part of the previously announced Gulf Coast Showcase.
The Red Foxes open their season with a trip to the mid-west in a return game against South Dakota State on Friday, November 13th. Behind a balanced effort that saw four different players score in double digits, the Red Foxes defeated the Jackrabbits 82-64 last season in McCann Arena. This season's clash will be the two team's third all-time meeting and the Red Foxes first trip to South Dakota State. The team's first matchup took place in the 2011-12 season at the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexico.
The team will extend the mid-west swing and take on Creighton on Sunday, November 15th at the D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Nebraska. This will be the first time in program history that the Red Foxes and Bluejays will face each other and Creighton is the first of 2 Big East programs the Red Foxes will face in non-conference play this season.
The Red Foxes first home game of the season comes against Delaware on Thursday, November 19th. The Red Foxes opened their season last year on the road against Delaware and fell to the Blue Hens, 70-60. Delaware finished last season with a 15-17 record and ended the season with a loss in the Colonial Athletic Association semi-finals to Hofstra, a team the Red Foxes will take on in December.
After the team's first home non-conference game, the Red Foxes hit the road again for a short-trip to take on St. John's on Sunday, November 22nd in a return game from last season. The Red Storm clipped the Red Foxes last year with a last-minute basket in a thrilling early season game.
The Marist women's basketball team will be one of eight programs showcased in Southwest Florida this Thanksgiving as the third-annual Gulf Coast Showcase is staged in Germain Arena in Estero, Fla. The eight-team, high major women's tournament will take place from November 27th to the 29th.
The women's tournament features a strong field in which all eight teams played in the postseason last year, including three teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament. Dayton advanced to the Elite Eight and led eventual National Champion and defending Gulf Coast Champion Connecticut at halftime before falling in its bid to advance to the Final Four. Louisville and Stanford both spent the entire season ranked among the Top 25 and each advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
LSU, Maine, Missouri State, and Purdue round out the tournament field and the Red Foxes potential opponents. The Red Foxes are guaranteed three games in this showcase.
The Red Foxes return to non-conference action with a road game against Boston University on Saturday, December 12th. Last season the Terriers were one of five opponents downed by the Red Foxes in a torrid December stretch that saw the Red Foxes go a perfect 5-0 on the month.
Two home games wrap up non-conference play as the Red Foxes take on Hofstra first on Sunday, December 20th and then mid-major powerhouse Princeton on Tuesday, December 29th. Princeton finished their regular season 30-0 (14-0, Ivy League) in the team's best season in program history and were rewarded with a trip to the NCAA Tournament where they defeated Green Bay in the first round before falling to eventual Final Four participant, Maryland.
After a slow start to non-conference play last season the Red Foxes finished with a 4-5 record, winning three straight games to close out their early season schedule. The Red Foxes used the momentum to build on another successful Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) season and will look to do the same this upcoming season with strong opponents both on the road and at home.
Marist College Women's Basketball
2015-2016 Non-Conference Schedule
Friday, Nov. 13 - @ South Dakota State University
Sunday, Nov. 15 - @ Creighton
Thursday, Nov. 19 - VS. DELAWARE
Sunday, Nov. 22 - @ St. John's
Thursday, Nov. 27-29 - @ Gulf Coast Showcase
Saturday, Dec. 12 - @ Boston University
Sunday, Dec. 20 - VS. HOFSTRA
Tuesday, Dec. 29 - VS. PRINCETON
