Marist will open the 2008-09 season at the McCann Center against Albany on Nov. 16.

Aug. 28, 2008

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist Athletics Department released the 2008-09 women's basketball non-conference schedule on Thursday. The Red Foxes will play 11 non-conference games in 2008-09, including games against NCAA Tournament participants Oklahoma and Hartford.

"As usual, it is a very challenging schedule", said head coach Brian Giorgis. "We're playing some of the top teams in our region like Hartford, as well as a national powerhouse like Oklahoma. The travel is tough, playing back-to-back weekends in Boston and Oklahoma, so our depth will play a key role early."

Marist, winners of the last five Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season titles, will open the 2008-09 season at the McCann Center on Nov. 16 against Albany. The Red Foxes follow that up with four straight games on the road beginning with contests at Northeastern and Harvard on the 21st and 23rd. Marist, then, will take on the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman on Nov. 26. Last season, the Sooners reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament and went 22-9. Oklahoma was ranked 19th in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll of 2008. In 2004, Marist played Oklahoma in its first NCAA Tournament appearance.

The Red Foxes close out the road trip at Tulsa on Nov. 28. Marist returns to the McCann Center on Dec. 1 to take on Lafayette. It will also host Boston University and St. Bonaventure on Dec. 13 and 20 respectively. Marist will play in the Florida International Tournament on Dec. 29 and 30. The Red Foxes will go on the road to take on Hartford on Feb. 15. The Hawks went 28-6 during the 2007-08 season and won the America East Championship. Hartford reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season as a number-10 seed.

Marist also reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2008, defeating DePaul 76-59 in the first round before falling to LSU 68-49 in the second round. The Red Foxes finished the season 32-3 and 23rd in the country in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.