Men's basketball schedule breakdown (Alestle, Allan Lewis)

In its third season as an NCAA Division I Independent, SIUE is starting to see more home games on its schedule.

The Cougars are playing 15 games at the Vadalabene Center this season, beginning with an exhibition game Nov. 16 against Division III Webster. It is the most home games SIUE has seen during its transition to Division I. Last year, SIUE was at home 12 times including two exhibition games. In 2008-2009, the Cougars played 11, but none were against Division I teams. SIUE begins Ohio Valley Conference play in 2011-2012 before becoming fully eligible for a meaningful Selection Sunday in 2012-2013.

Head Coach Lennox Forrester said the home games will be beneficial to the Cougars after going 5-23 last season. The final stretch will be much easier for SIUE as well. Last season, the Cougars rounded out the season with a three game road swing at North Dakota, Cal State Fullerton and IPFW before ending at the Vadalabene Center against Hannibal-LaGrange.

SIUE has seven of its final eight games this year at home.

"It is important for our guys to play home games and not miss any classes, but at the same time we have a pretty tough schedule and overall there are some pretty good teams," Forrester said. "A huge part of it is amount of classes our guys have missed and they need to do well in the classroom, but when you are talking about seven of eight at home, hopefully we can capitalize on that and make a run late in the season."

The regular season begins Nov. 12, when SIUE welcomes IPFW to the Vadalabene Center in a homecoming of sorts for IPFW's Terrance Williams. The Edwardsville native started his collegiate career at SIUE, and was redshirted his freshman year before contributing off the bench in 2008-2009. Williams was kicked off the team in February 2009 and transferred to Highland Community College before joining Dane Fife's team in Fort Wayne.

SIUE is on the road for the first time Nov. 14, returning last year's season opener against Illinois State. The Cougars then travel to Richmond, Ky. to play their first of nine games against OVC competition.

SIUE comes home for its first of four regular season games against non-DI teams Nov. 20, when MacMurray comes to town. SIUE also hosts Greenville (Jan. 29), Robert Morris (Ill.) (Feb. 12) and Hannibal-LaGrange to close out the season Feb. 26.

The Cougars are in Kansas City to play UMKC Nov. 24, and take on Iowa from the Big Ten in its first season under new Head Coach Fran McAfferey Nov. 26. Iowa is one of three guarantee games the Cougars play against competition from the Big Ten. SIUE also plays at Indiana (Dec. 17) and Northwestern (Jan. 20).

Northwestern was a late addition to the SIUE schedule after the Cougars were dropped from ESPN's Bracketbuster series this season. SIUE was originally scheduled to play Feb. 20 against a to-be-announced mid-major school with a similar RPI rating to the Cougars.

Forrester stressed his disappointment in ESPN's decision to drop SIUE from the Bracketbusters event, but jumped at the chance to replace the scheduled home game with a trip to Evanston.

"I think Bracketbusters is important because we get a feel for what it is going to be like in the future," Forrester said. "Playing Northwestern in an area we recruit out of just gets our name out in the Chicago area and will help as we keep going."

The Indiana game kicks off the on-campus portion of the Las Vegas Classic. The Cougars play the Hoosiers and visit last season's Missouri Valley Conference champion Northern Iowa Dec. 19 before heading off to Las Vegas for games against Longwood and either South Carolina State or the Citadel in bracket play. Northern Iowa defeated Kansas in the second round of the NCAA tournament to advance to the Sweet 16 in 2010.

Forrester said playing tournament-caliber teams like UNI and traditionally Indiana, will give his guys a feel for the future, when the Cougars are eligible.

"These are the caliber of teams we are going to be playing and the environments there are very special," Forrester said. "Hopefully we give them a chance to where we can sneak a game to help us get noticed."

The Cougars play six different OVC teams, with home-and-home sets against Tennessee Tech, Eastern Kentucky and last year's conference champion Murray State. The Racers come to the Vadalabene Center Jan. 26 after SIUE visits Murray Dec. 30.

"They are the conference champion and have everybody back from last year," Forrester said. "If you want to be good enough in the conference, you have to be able to compete in the conference."

Morehead State (Nov. 28), UT Martin (Jan. 24) and Southeast Missouri State (Feb. 3) will make their first trip to the VC this season as well.

Forrester said the game against Morehead State will be a challenge because the Eagles are led by OVC Player of the Year Kenneth Faried, who averaged 17 points and 13 rebounds last season.

"They were the only team to beat Murray State last season and Kenneth Faried is a player I think is an NBA prospect. We have our hands full with them and the rest of the teams on our schedule."

Middle Tennessee State (Dec. 4), Kennesaw State (Dec. 11) and South Dakota (Jan. 8) make up the remainder of SIUE's home schedule, while the Cougars also pay visits to Loyola (Dec. 8) and Ball State (Jan. 3) this year.

Forrester said he is looking forward to SIUE playing its first season in the OVC, after scheduling an entire 29-game Independent slate for the final time.

"There are so many games in a short amount of time, and it's more flexible when you can spread things out over the first semester," Forrester said. "This is not a schedule I would like to play in the future, outside of a tournament. There are so many good teams in a short amount of time."

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