Emporia State women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider listened to the reasons for why he’s team seemed to be underrated throughout last year in the regional rankings.
The Lady Hornets play too many NAIA teams in the nonconference.
They do not play enough regional teams in the nonconference.
With that in mind, Schneider scheduled two regional games in the nonconference, which highlight Emporia State’s 2009-10 schedule that was released on Thursday.
Emporia State will play only three NAIA teams — as opposed to four last year — and the Lady Hornets will take on four Division II teams in the nonconference, including two road games and one on a neutral site.
“We tried, and we weren’t nearly as successful as what we would have liked to have been,” Schneider said of scheduling more regional opponents. “We’re a little hand-strung when we try to get people to play us at home.”
The biggest challenge in recent years has been convincing Division II opponents to play in Emporia State’s Tip-Off Classic. Eastern New Mexico will be at the ESU tournament this year, along with Evangel of the NAIA.
“I think it’s really big,” Schneider said. “Last year we played NAIAs, which was really disappointing.”
Emporia State opens the season with an exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse against Kansas. The Jayhawks beat the Lady Hornets 84-74 in overtime in 2007 in their last meeting. KU is coming off a run to the WNIT championship game last year.
Emporia State’s other marquee nonconference games include a trip to Missouri Southern’s Thanksgiving Classic, where ESU will face D-2 newcomer UA-Ft. Smith of the Heartland conference, and a trip to California right before Christmas. The Lady Hornets will start their trip with a game at CSU-East Bay on Dec. 21 and finish with a game at San Francisco State on Dec. 22.
“We try to (travel) as often as we can,” Schneider said. “I just really feel like those things are part of the educational experience. It also helps in recruiting.”
Emporia State opens the MIAA portion of its schedule with five of its first seven game on the road, beginning at Northwest Missouri on Dec. 2.
“It’s basically just a flip from a year ago,” Schneider said. “We’re going to have to hope that especially during those times where we play several games in a row on the road that we’re healthy and playing well.”
Four of Emporia State’s final six conference games are at home, including a Senior Night game against rival Washburn on Feb. 24. The six largest home crowds for ESU have come against the Lady Blues.
The regular season ends on Feb. 28 at Fort Hays State. Emporia State will then travel to Kansas City, Mo., for the MIAA tournament March 4-7 at Municipal Auditorium. The South Central Regional tournament begins on March 12. Emporia State has made the regional for seven straight seasons.
The Lady Hornets have five newcomers and return eight players off last year’s team that reached the second round of the regional tournament.