Aug. 27, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Highlighted by 19 games against teams that reached postseason play last year, Head Coach Melanie Balcomb announced the 2009-10 Vanderbilt women’s basketball schedule Thursday.
2009-10 VU Women’s Basketball Schedule
“Once again we’ve put together an outstanding schedule of games for the coming year,” Balcomb said. “A solid non-conference schedule will prepare for us for the debut of the new 16-game league schedule; the two additional games against Southeastern Conference competition can only help us as we head toward the postseason.”
The slate includes 16 regular-season home games, beginning on Sunday, Nov. 15 when Lehigh visits Memorial Gymnasium. In her seven years at Vanderbilt, Balcomb’s teams have won 86 percent of their games at home. This year’s home non-conference schedule includes visits from UC Riverside, Bowling Green, Western Kentucky, Tennessee State and East Tennessee. In addition, the Commodores will welcome Austin Peay, North Carolina State and Northwestern State for the annual Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament.
Vanderbilt will travel to games at Southern Illinois, St. Joseph’s, Wright State and Quinnipiac, as well as a New Year’s Eve clash at Notre Dame.
A total of 13 non-conference games will be the lead-in to the SEC’s new 16-game league schedule. The addition of two SEC games will allow for home-and-home series with five conference opponents. The Commodores will maintain their long-standing I-40 rivalry with Tennessee while also having two chances to play Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Mississippi State — all squads that advanced to postseason play a year ago.
The Commodores went undefeated at home during league play last year for the first time in school history. This season, they will entertain Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina at Memorial Gym while traveling to face Auburn, Arkansas and LSU.
Game times will be set at a later date once the league and its television partners announce broadcast plans for the year.
Season tickets begin at $32 and are currently available through the Vanderbilt Ticket Office. Tickets may be purchased online anytime at vucommodores.com, by phone at 615-322-GOLD (5643) or in person at the McGugin Center on campus during regular business hours.
Vanderbilt will defend its 2009 SEC Tournament championship this coming March at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. The tournament last visited Georgia in 2007, with Vanderbilt capturing its third championship crown in six years.
The Commodores will be in search of their 11th consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament after making their 22nd overall trip in 2009. San Antonio’s Alamodome will return as the host of the NCAA Women’s Final Four after last hosting the event in 2002.
2009-10 Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball Schedule
(F) Oct. 30 – UNION (EXHIBITION)
(S) Nov. 7 – DRURY (EXHIBITION) 2 p.m.
(U) Nov. 15 – LEHIGH
(W) Nov. 18 – at Southern Illinois
(F) Nov. 20 – UC RIVERSIDE
(T) Nov. 24 – at St. Joseph’s
(F) Nov. 27 – $ AUSTIN PEAY – Thanksgiving Tournament
– $ N.C. State vs. Northwestern State – Thanks
(S) Nov. 28 – $ Consolation Game – Thanks
– $ Championship Game – Thanks
(W) Dec. 2 – at Wright State
(F) Dec. 4 – BOWLING GREEN
(U) Dec. 6 – WESTERN KENTUCKY
(H) Dec. 10 – at Quinnipiac
(U) Dec. 20 – TENNESSEE STATE
(M) Dec. 28 – EAST TENNESSEE STATE
(H) Dec. 31 – at Notre Dame
(U) Jan. 3 – * OLE MISS
(H) Jan. 7 – * at Mississippi State
(U) Jan. 10 – * at Kentucky
(H) Jan. 14 – * GEORGIA
(U) Jan. 17 – * at Tennessee
(H) Jan. 21 – * at Auburn
(U) Jan. 24 – * MISSISSIPPI STATE
(H) Jan. 28 – * ALABAMA
(U) Jan. 31 – * at Arkansas
(H) Feb. 4 – * at Florida
(M) Feb. 8 – * TENNESSEE
(U) Feb. 14 – * KENTUCKY
(H) Feb. 18 – * at LSU
(U) Feb. 21 – * at Ole Miss
(W) Feb. 24 – * FLORIDA
(U) Feb. 28 – * SOUTH CAROLINA
March 4-7 ! SEC Tournament
March 20-23 NCAA First & Second Round
March 27-30 NCAA Sweet 16/Quarterfinals
April 4-6 % NCAA Final Four
* Southeastern Conference game
HOME GAMES in BOLD CAPS will be played at Memorial Gymnasium
$ – 2009 Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament
! – 2010 SEC Tournament will be played at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga.
% – 2010 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas