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Wednesday, October 2, 2002
Women's Basketball finalizes
2002-03 schedule
 lorida
International women's basketball coach Cindy Russo has announced
the finalization of the 2002-03 Golden Panthers' schedule.
In the coming year, FIU maintains its reputation of challenging
quality programs in non-conference action as this year's non-league
opponents' averaged 17 wins and a RPI rating of 113 in 2001-02.
The Blue & Gold, graded to have the 47th toughest schedule
in the country a year ago, may take on a pair of teams who were
ranked at season's end of 2001-02. Duke, who finished fourth
nationally in 2001-02, hosts FIU in a Dec. 18 contest while last
year's 22nd best team, LSU, will take part in the FIU Thanksgiving
Classic Nov. 29-30 at Golden Panther Arena.
However, Duke and LSU will not be the focus of the Golden
Panthers' attention when the squad opens the year at the Seminole
Classic in Tallahassee, Fla. The tournament, slated for Nov.
22-23, will feature host Florida State, FIU, Alabama State and
Georgia State. The Golden Panthers turn around to host their
own event with the aforementioned Thanksgiving Classic highlighted
by the Tigers, Virginia Tech and Washington State. More tournament
action awaits FIU with a trip to New York for the Stony Brook
Tournament featuring FIU, Bradley, Fairleigh Dickinson and Stony
Brook.
The Golden Panthers then return to University Park to host
a bout with crosstown-rival Miami on Dec. 14 followed by a single
game with UNC-Charlotte, set to be played at Miami-Dade CC-Kendall
on Dec. 20. The annual Sun & Fun Classic will bring Mississippi,
Georgia State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to Miami on Dec.
28-29. A New Year's Day contest at home versus Siena home will
be the Golden Panthers' final tune-up before league play.
FIU opens Sun Belt Conference action with a three-game road
swing at North Texas (Jan. 4), Denver (Jan. 9) and New Mexico
State (Jan. 16). The Golden Panthers' launch the home portion
of SBC play with a Jan. 18 contest against Louisiana-Lafayette.
The jet-set lifestyle takes over again with a trip to the Natural
State for games with Arkansas State (Jan. 23) and Arkansas-Little
Rock (Jan. 25).
A Jan. 30 match-up with Western Kentucky marks a four-game
homestand that continues with Middle Tennessee (Feb. 1), South
Alabama (Feb. 13) and New Orleans (Feb. 15) followed by a return
trip to Western Kentucky (Feb. 20) and Middle Tennessee (Feb.
22). Home contests with Arkansas State (Feb. 27) and Arkansas-Little
Rock (March 1) close out the regular season.
Western Kentucky and the city of Bowling Green are the site
of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, slated for March 6-11.
To locate the Golden Panthers' schedule on the internet, please
visit http://www.fiu.edu/~athletic/wbhome/wbsch03.htm.
2002-03 Florida International Women's Basketball Schedule
November
5 - Tournament of Champions (Exhibition, 7:00 pm); 12 - Lynn
(Exhibition, 7:00 pm); 22-23 - at Seminole Classic; 29-30 - FIU
Thanksgiving Classic
December
6-7 - at Stony Brook Invitational; 14 - Miami (7:00 pm); 16 -
UNC-Charlotte (7:00 pm); 28-29 - Sun & Fun Classic
January
1 - Siena (2:00 pm); 4 - at North Texas (3:00 pm); 9 - at Denver
(9:00 pm); 16 - at New Mexico State (9:05 pm); 18 - Louisiana-Lafayette
(5:00 pm); at Arkansas State (8:05 pm); at Arkansas-Little Rock
(8:00 pm); 30 - Western Kentucky (7:00 pm)
February
1 - Middle Tennessee (2:00 pm); 13 - South Alabama (7:00 pm);
15 - New Orleans (7:00 pm); 20 - at Western Kentucky (8:00 pm);
22 - at Middle Tennessee (3:00 pm); 27 - Arkansas State (7:00
pm)
March
1 - Arkansas-Little Rock (7:00 pm); 6-11 - at Sun Belt Conference
Tournament |