Western Courier

Issue date: 10/2/09 Section: Sports

Head coach Jim Molinari and the 'Necks will be spending more time at home this season.

Western Illinois head basketball coach Jim Molinari has announced the schedule for the 2009-10 season to include 15 home games, 14 on the road and competition from nine leagues in addition to The Summit League.

"For where we are as a program with seven new players, our schedule is very competitive," Molinari said. "After playing in Macomb only 10 times last year, we tried to schedule more home games for our players, students and community."

The Fighting Leathernecks open the season on the road at Pac-10 Arizona State Friday, Nov. 13, before facing Big 12 opponent Kansas State the following Sunday. Western returns to Macomb for its home opener, Nov. 18, against Truman State.

"By playing two teams in Arizona State and Kansas State on the road in our opening weekend, we wanted to expose our team right away to a high level of competition," Molinari said. "Both those schools played in postseason tournaments last year."

A pair of road games against Central Arkansas and Savannah State fall just before a six-game home-stand stretching from Nov. 28 to Dec. 22. December opens with the start of Summit League action against defending champions North Dakota State (Dec. 3).

South Dakota State is the following game before three non-conference contenders in Culver-Stockton College, Eastern Illinois and Central Arkansas for the second time. The Leathernecks resume Summit League action and wrap up 2009 with a noon game at Oakland, Dec. 31.

"Like last year, teams like Oakland, South Dakota State, IPFW and IUPUI return most of their starting lineup so it will be very challenging to our young team," Molinari said.

Western repeats with NDSU, SDSU and Oakland in addition to playing all other Summit League opponents twice over the months of January and February. The Leathernecks look to land in the top eight of league teams in order to qualify for The Summit League Tournament, March 6-9 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

All home games will be held at Waste Management Court at Western Hall with tipoff at 7 p.m. The Leathernecks return five letter-winners and three starters to the 2009-10 roster.

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