LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola University's 2010-11 women's basketball schedule was released on Friday and features a difficult slate of games including trips to the Bay area and Idaho plus an exhibition game against NCAA Division I USC.
"We are enthusiastic about the upcoming season and this year's schedule," said Head Coach Ken Crawford, who is entering his sixth year at the helm. "Our pre-conference schedule will give us the opportunity to compete with team that have various styles of play. Playing teams like USC and Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) help us prepare for the always-tough GSAC."
The Eagles, who are coming off back-to-back NAIA Tournament appearances, open the regular season Friday, Nov. 5, with the first of two games in the Bay area. Biola faces Bethany University at 3:00 p.m., then heads down to face Menlo College on the following night at 8:00 p.m.
On Tuesday, Nov. 9, Biola heads over to the new Galen Center to take on NCAA Division I University of Southern California in an exhibition. It is the highest profile game the Eagles have played in the six years under coach Crawford. The game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m.
Biola's home opener is slated for Monday, Nov. 15, as the Eagles host cross-town foe Whittier College at Chase Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.
Biola then hits the road for its toughest test of the early season, facing Lewis-Clark State College and the Oregon Institute of Technology at the Lewis-Clark State College Staples Classic in Lewiston, Idaho. The tournament, Nov. 19-20, pits the Eagles against two of the top teams in the Northwest including host LC State which ended the Eagles' season last season in the first round of the NAIA Tournament.
Biola returns home to host La Sierra University on Tuesday, Nov. 23, before opening GSAC play the following week. The Eagles start play in the NAIA's toughest conference with a home contest against Westmont College on Tuesday, Nov. 30, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Biola's first GSAC road trip takes the team to Riverside on Dec. 4 to face California Baptist University, then up to Azusa on Dec. 7 to take on arch-rival Azusa Pacific University. Both games begin at 5:30 p.m.
The Eagles close out the tough pre-Christmas portion of its schedule with a home game against three-time defending GSAC champs Vanguard University on Saturday, Dec. 11.
After Christmas Break, Biola host its second annual Holiday Classic. The classic features 12 teams playing a total of 17 games over three days from Dec. 28-30. The Eagles will face the University of Alberta on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Holy Names University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and Evangel University at 8:15 p.m. on Thursday.
"We are very excited about hosting the Second Annual Biola Holiday Classic," said Crawford. "In just one year it has grown to 12 teams and will feature some great matchups and exciting competition including fellow GSAC teams Azusa Pacific, Hope International University and the Masters College."
Biola heads right back into GSAC play after the start of the new year, heading up to The Master's college on Tuesday, Jan. 4.
The Eagles' big second-half GSAC games including the home clash against arch-rival Azusa Pacific University on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 5:30 p.m.
Biola closes out the regular season on Thursday, Feb. 24, against Point Loma Nazarene University at 5:30 p.m.
CLICK HERE to view the entire 2010-11 Biola University women's basktball schedule.
