Aug. 21, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Non-conference games at Alabama and Baylor, as well as a tough Southern Conference slate, highlight the 2008-09 Samford women's basketball schedule, released by head coach Mike Morris on Thursday.

" Hopefully the pre-conference schedule will be a good measuring stick for our team," Morris said. "Playing our local rivals in Jacksonville State and Alabama, and playing at Baylor will prepare us for a tough SoCon schedule"

Samford opens the regular season with two road games at in-state rivals. First, the Bulldogs play at former conference foe Jacksonville State on Nov. 14, and then they travel to the University of Alabama on Nov. 18.

The first home game of the season is scheduled for Nov. 21, when the Bulldogs play host to New Orleans at the Pete Hanna Center.

After a road game at Lipscomb on Nov. 24, Samford will host the Samford-UAB Thanksgiving Classic. In the classic, Samford will take on McNeese State (Nov. 28) and Evansville (Nov. 29).

On Dec. 1, Samford will play its first Southern Conference game, playing at defending conference champion Chattanooga. The Bulldogs will then play at SoCon foe Wofford on Dec. 4.

The Bulldogs will then travel to Baylor on Dec. 13 for the team's final non-conference game of the season.

Samford will wrap up the 2008 portion of its schedule with home conference games against Elon (Dec. 19) and UNC Greensboro (Dec. 29).

The Bulldogs will open 2009 with four-straight road games, playing at SoCon foes College of Charleston (Jan. 3), Georgia Southern (Jan. 5), Western Carolina (Jan. 10) and Furman (Jan. 14).

Samford will then play its next four games at home. The Bulldogs will play host to SoCon games against Appalachian State (Jan. 17), Davidson (Jan. 19), Furman (Jan. 24) and Wofford (Jan. 26).

Trips to Elon on Jan. 31 and UNC Greensboro on Feb. 2 are next for the Bulldogs, followed by home games against College of Charleston on Feb. 7 and Georgia Southern on Feb. 9.

On Feb. 14, Samford will play at Appalachian State, and the Bulldogs will then travel to Davidson on Feb. 16. Samford will wrap up the regular season with home conference games against Western Carolina (Feb. 23) and Chattanooga (Feb. 28).

The Southern Conference Tournament is scheduled for Mar. 5-9 in Chattanooga, Tenn.