UB Women's Basketball Releases 2009-10 Schedule

Bulls begin season at local rival Niagara

Linda Hill-MacDonald

BUFFALO, NY – Fifth-year head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald has announced the 2009-10 women's basketball schedule including 13 non-conference games to kick off the year.

The Bulls will begin the season with two straight road games as they open the year at Niagara on Friday, November 13. UB will then head down state to Long Island, where they will face Hofstra on Nov. 16. UB's home opener will come on Nov. 21 when the Bulls host Temple at Alumni Arena. UB will close out November at the Maine Tournament over Thanksgiving Weekend where it opens against Penn State on Nov. 27 and then will play either Holy Cross or Maine the following day.

The beginning of December will continue a stretch of five of the first six games away from home as UB heads to Providence on Dec. 2 to play the Friars. The Bulls then return home on Dec. 5 for a battle with cross-town rival Canisius. The Bulls will conclude Big 4 play on Dec. 9 as UB takes the short drive south for a matchup at St. Bonaventure. After returning home to face Youngstown State on Dec. 13, UB will finish out December on the road. The Bulls travel to Delaware on Dec. 22, before heading to Florida for the Stetson Tournament right after Christmas. The Bulls will play American on Dec. 28 and then either Stetson or St. Francis (PA) on Dec. 29. UB wraps up non-conference play on Jan. 3 as it hosts Bucknell.

"I think our non-conference schedule presents us with some challenges that will serve as good experience as we prepare for Mid-American Conference play," said Hill-MacDonald. "We play teams from the Big East and Big Ten as well Temple, American, St. Bonaventure and Canisius, which all played in the postseason last year."

UB will begin league play at home against Miami on Jan. 6 and will play each member of the MAC East twice, once at home and once on the road. The Bulls will also play each member of the MAC West once, hosting Central Michigan (Feb.6), Toledo (Jan. 27) and Eastern Michigan (Feb. 3). UB will travel to the three furthest schools in the MAC with road contests against Western Michigan (Jan. 30), Ball State (Feb. 10) and Northern Illinois (Jan. 23).

The Bulls will close out their regular season schedule at home on March 2 against Kent State and get ready for the 2009 Mid-American Conference Tournament. For the first time in four seasons, the MAC will move back to having first round tournament games at campus sites. The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship will all be played in Cleveland, OH at the Quicken Loans Arena.

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