7/1/2002 - Women's Basketball
2002-03 Women's Basketball Schedule Announced
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Naval Academy women's basketball head coach Joe Sanchez announced the program's 2002-03 schedule today, one which features a preseason schedule vastly different from the 2001-02 season.
This past season the Midshipmen spent the majority of their nonconference campaign on the road, playing six of their first seven games and eight of their 13 non-Patriot League contests away from Annapolis. This coming season, Navy will play seven of its 13 preseason games at home and will travel to just five different states prior to the start of the league season.
"We are excited about our schedule this season," said Sanchez. "It features many key matchups against teams with the potential to compete for their conference championship. It will be challenging for us."
The 2002-03 campaign opens for Navy Nov. 22-23 in Burlington, Vt., as Navy participates in the BankNorth Classic, hosted by the University of Vermont. The Mids will open the tournament and the season against Providence (Big East Conference), then will face either Yale (Ivy League) or the host Catamounts (America East) the following day.
Navy will play host to Towson (Colonial Athletic Association) in its Nov. 26 home opener at Alumni Hall before taking to the road again for three-straight contests at Eastern Illinois (Ohio Valley, Nov. 29), at Valparaiso (Mid-Continent, Dec. 1) and at Maryland-Baltimore County (Northeast, Dec. 5).
Once Navy returns from the road, the Mids will open a five-game homestand -- the program's longest nonconference homestand since joining the Patriot League in 1991-92 -- starting with back-to-back Sunday matinee games against Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun, Dec. 8) and Delaware State (Mid-Eastern, Dec. 15). Following a Dec. 19 game against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Big West), the Mids will play host to the annual Navy Classic Dec. 21-22. This year's edition of the preholiday tournament includes Fresno State (Western Athletic), Pennsylvania (Ivy League) and the College of Charleston (Southern).
Navy will close its preseason slate of games with a Jan. 2 contest at Ohio (Mid-American) and a Jan. 5 matchup at home against Albany (America East).
"Doing well in our nonconference schedule can give us a boost as we head into the Patriot League season," said Sanchez. "There is no doubt we need to be prepared early in the year."
Navy's Patriot League schedule has three distinct parts to it, all with their own challenges. The Mids open league play with four of their first five games at home, followed by six of their next seven games on the road, then close the season with back-to-back home games.
Navy plays host to Lehigh Jan. 11 in the first contest of the league season, before making the short drive to Washington, D.C., for a Jan. 14 game at American. The Mids then will be in Alumni Hall for games against Bucknell (Jan. 18), Holy Cross (Jan. 24), and Colgate (Jan. 26).
The middle section of league contests begins with games at Army (Jan. 31), at Lafayette (Feb. 2) and at Lehigh (Jan. 8). Navy returns to Annapolis to play host to American Feb. 11 before once again taking to the road for games at Bucknell (Feb. 15), at Colgate (Feb. 21) and at Holy Cross (Feb. 23).
Navy closes its season at home against Lafayette (Feb. 27) and against Army (March 1) in the annual N-Star Game.
For the season-straight season The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md., will be the site for the quarterfinal and semifinal games of the Patriot League Tournament, with the women's games slated to take place March 7 and 9. The championship game of the league tournament will be held March 12 at the highest-seeded team playing in the title tilt.
"The Patriot League should be very competitive this season, with many teams in the conference returning their key players and having the ability to challenge for the title," said Sanchez. "Our philosophy is simple; take care of our business and our performance on the floor.
"We fell short in several games a year ago, but we will strive to improve on our weaknesses and try to focus on our strengths for us to be one of the last teams playing at the end of the season."
November
Sun. 10 # Blue-Gold Scrimmage 1 p.m.
Sun. 17 # Exhibition Game vs. TBA 1 p.m.
Sat. 23 at BankNorth Classic
Navy vs. Providence 6 p.m.
Sun. 24 at BankNorth Classic (vs. Vermont or Yale)
Consolation Game 6 p.m.
Championship Game 8 p.m.
Tues. 26 Towson 7 p.m.
Fri. 29 at Eastern Illinois 8 p.m.
December
Sun. 1 at Valparaiso 2 p.m.
Thurs. 5 at UMBC 5:30 p.m.
Sun. 8 Jacksonville 4 p.m.
Sun. 15 Delaware State 4 p.m.
Thurs. 19 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 7 p.m.
Sat. 21 Navy Classic 5:30/7:30 p.m.
Sun. 22 Navy Classic 1/3 p.m.
(Navy, College of Charleston, Fresno State, Pennsylvania)
January
Thurs. 2 at Ohio 7 p.m.
Sun. 5 Albany 2 p.m.
Sat. 11 * Lehigh 1 p.m.
Tues. 14 * at American 7 p.m.
Sat. 18 * Bucknell 1 p.m.
Fri. 24 * Holy Cross 5:30 p.m.
Sun. 26 * Colgate Alumni Hall 1 p.m.
Fri. 31 * at Army 5:30 p.m.
February
Sun. 2 * at Lafayette 1 p.m.
Sat. 8 * at Lehigh 1 p.m.
Tues. 11 * American 7 p.m.
Sat. 15 * at Bucknell 1 p.m.
Fri. 21 * at Colgate 5:30 p.m.
Sun. 23 * at Holy Cross 1 p.m.
Thurs. 27 * Lafayette 5:30 p.m.
March
Sat. 1 * Army (N-Star) Alumni Hall 3 p.m.
Fri. 7 Patriot League Tournament -- Quarterfinal
Sun. 9 Patriot League Tournament -- Semifinal
Wed. 12 Patriot League Tournament -- Championship
Schedule as of July 1
All times Eastern and subject to change
Home games in bold
# Exhibition game
* Patriot League game
Patriot League Tournament Q & S Games -- at The Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, Md.
Patriot League Tournament Championship -- at highest-seeded team
