Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Announce Women's Basketball Schedule for 2004-05
8/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Aug. 17, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State and the Big Ten released the 2004-05 women's basketball schedule, which features 13 home games in the 28-game regular-season schedule. MSU will play as many as 13 games against teams that qualified for the 2004 NCAA Tournament, including five in the Breslin Center. In addition to eight games against five Big Ten schools that made the 2004 Tournament, MSU's non-conference slate features a game at three-time defending NCAA champion Connecticut, a contest at Notre Dame, and possible match-ups in early season tournaments against 2004 NCAA Tournament teams Georgia, TCU and Boston College. "We are very excited about our schedule," said Michigan State head coach Joanne P. McCallie, who is entering her fifth season at the helm of the Spartan program. "Our non-conference schedule is as challenging as it has ever been. Of course, the battles in the Big Ten will continue, but we definitely feel that our non-conference schedule prepares us very well for what we will face in Big Ten competition." The Spartans finished last season with a 22-9 record, including a 10-6 fourth-place mark in the Big Ten, while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, reaching the second round. MSU will be tested often during its non-conference schedule, and the always-tough Big Ten schedule will help prepare the Spartans for further success this season. Michigan State once again opens the season with the Dean Trailways of Michigan Spartan Classic. The Spartans will meet Central Connecticut State in the opener Nov. 20, before battling Boston College or Western Michigan the following day. Boston College was 27-7 last season and beat Connecticut en route to the Big East Tournament championship. From there, the Spartans spend Thanksgiving in Hawaii at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu Nov. 26-28. Although the tournament schedule is not set, MSU's three games could include contests against Georgia and TCU, two teams that won 25 games each and finished with RPIs of No. 9 and 17, respectively, last season. Other teams in the tournament are California, Idaho, Santa Clara, Utah and host Hawaii. Things don't get any easier when the Spartans return to the mainland, as road contests at Notre Dame (Dec. 2) and Cincinnati (Dec. 4) follow. The Fighting Irish went 21-11 last season including a trip to the Sweet 16, and will be out to avenge last year's 92-63 Spartan victory in East Lansing. The third-annual When I Grow Up game will be held at the Breslin Center Dec. 9 vs. Eastern Illinois, followed by a Dec. 11 at Detroit. The Spartans then return home for games vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 19) and Vermont (Dec. 21). MSU rounds out the non-conference schedule Dec. 29 against Connecticut in Hartford. It will be just the second meeting between the Spartans and Huskies, with UConn winning the previous meeting, 88-68, in Storrs in the second round of the 1996 NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, a deal could not be worked out to bring the Huskies to the Breslin Center in a future season. "Scheduling is always more difficult when you're perceived as a stronger team," said McCallie. It's been a great challenge to our staff, and sometimes it's a great challenge to get a home-and-home. We can't always, although that's what we want. We always negotiate but sometimes it doesn't work out." The Big Ten schedule this season features two games each against Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Spartans will have home games only against Purdue and Northwestern, and will face Penn State and Indiana only on the road. The Big Ten schedule opens Sunday, Jan. 2, when the Spartans visit Michigan. After a Jan. 6 game at Ohio State, MSU will play its Big Ten home opener Sunday, Jan. 9 vs. Iowa to open a three-game homestand that includes a Jan. 16 game vs. 2004 Final Four participant Minnesota. Defending Big Ten Tournament champion Purdue invades the Breslin Center Wednesday, Jan. 26, while in-state rival Michigan makes its appearance in East Lansing in the regular-season finale Wednesday, Feb. 23. Game times for Big Ten games could change once the conference office releases the regional television broadcast schedule. MSU could have one game televised on ESPN2 - a Feb. 20 tilt vs. Ohio State in the Breslin Center. The Big Ten Tournament will be held March 3-7 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
2004-05 Michigan State Women's Basketball Schedule
Day Date Opponent Time
Thurs. Oct. 28 GREEN & WHITE (EXHIB) 7 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 7 OHIO GIRLS BASKETBALL MAGAZINE (EXHIB.) 2 p.m.
Fri. Nov. 12 AUSTRALIAN SPORTS INSTITUTION 6 p.m.
Sat.-Sun. Nov. 20-21 DEAN TRAILWAYS OF MICHIGAN SPARTAN CLASSIC
Sat. Nov. 20 Western Michigan vs. Boston College 1 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 20 MSU vs. Central Connecticut State 3:30 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 21 Consolation/Championship 1 p.m./3:30 p.m.
Fri.-Sun. Nov. 26-28 Rainbow Wahine Classic (Honolulu, Hawaii)
(Schedule to be determined - Participating teams: Hawaii, Georgia,
Santa Clara, Utah, TCU, California, Idaho)
Thurs. Dec. 2 at Notre Dame 7 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 4 at Cincinnati 2 p.m.
Thurs. Dec. 9 EASTERN ILLINOIS 12 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 11 at Detroit 2 p.m.
Sun. Dec. 19 TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI 2 p.m.
Tues. Dec. 21 VERMONT 6:30 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 29 at Connecticut 7 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 2 at Michigan* 2 p.m.
Thurs. Jan. 6 at Ohio State* 7 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 9 IOWA* 2 p.m.
Thurs. Jan. 13 WISCONSIN* 7 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 16 MINNESOTA* 2 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 19 at Illinois* 7 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 23 at Penn State* 2 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 26 PURDUE* 7 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 30 at Indiana* 2 p.m.
Thurs. Feb. 3 NORTHWESTERN* 7 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 6 ILLINOIS* 2 p.m.
Thurs. Feb. 10 at Minnesota* 7 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 13 at Wisconsin* 2 p.m.
Thurs. Feb. 17 at Iowa* 7 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 20 OHIO STATE* 2 p.m.
Wed. Feb. 23 MICHIGAN* 7 p.m.
Th-Mon. March 3-7 at Big Ten Tournament (Indianapolis, Ind.) TBA
Sat.-Tues.March 19-22 NCAA Tournament First & Second Rounds TBA
Sat.-Tues.March 26-29 NCAA Regional TBA
Sun.-Tues.April 3 & 5 NCAA Final Four (Indianapolis, Ind.) TBA
All times listed are local to site.
* Big Ten Conference games
Home games in CAPS.
