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June 14, 2010

2009-10 Season - Men's basketball announces 2010-11 schedule

Augustana will open the 2010-11 men's basketball season on November 16 against Simpson in Indianola, Iowa. The Vikings will play 10 games in the upcoming year against teams that made the NCAA Division III tournament last year.

Although, unlike last year, there are no Top 20 Division I opponents on the slate, the Augustana men’s basketball team will be facing another extremely challenging schedule in the 2010-11 season. With non-conference games against the likes of Washington University, Wisconsin-Whitewater and Anderson, as well as a trip to the St. Norbert Holiday Tournament and the always tough CCIW competition, the Vikings could be facing as many as 10 regular season games against 2010 NCAA tournament participants. Depending on how the St. Norbert tournament plays out, Augustana could play as many as eight of those against teams ranked 22nd or higher in the final D3Hoops.com poll.

Viking head coach Grey Giovanine pointed out that the rigorous competition is no accident, "Consistent with our tradition, we are once again playing as challenging a non-conference schedule as possible to provide us with the chance to gain national recognition and prepare for the CCIW regular season."

The Vikings open the season on November 16 with a road date against the Simpson Storm in Indianola, Iowa.

After facing Washington, Whitewater and Anderson on the road a year ago, Augustana will play host to all three this year.

Washington comes to Carver Center on November 22 for the Vikings’ home opener. The Bears saw their string of national titles stopped at two last year, but still finished 24-3 and ranked seventh in the nation. Five days later, Anderson is in town. The Ravens had a breakout season last year, going 23-6 and earning the 22nd spot in the final poll. Wisconsin-Whitewater, ranked ninth in the nation last year with a 23-6 record, plays in Rock Island on December 15.

Quad-City rival St. Ambrose returns to the schedule this year after graciously stepping aside in 2009-10 to make room for the Vikings’ contest with Gonzaga. Coach Ray Shovlain’s Bees will invade Carver Center on December 8.

Augustana heads to DePere, Wisconsin to play in St. Norbert’s Nicolet National Bank Holiday Tournament on December 29 & 30 . The Vikings will face Wisconsin-Stout (16-11 in 2009-10) in the first round while the host Green Knights, who were 23-4 and ranked 20th in the nation last year, will take on Lakeland. On the 30th, the winners of those two games will face off in the championship and the first-round losers will meet in a consolation game.

The rest of the non-conference slate includes road dates at Monmouth (12/1/10), MacMurray (12/20/10 in Jacksonville, Ill.) and the University of Chicago (1/2/11), as well as a home contest with Buena Vista (12/11/10).

Things won’t get any easier once CCIW play begins. Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton all reached the 2010 NCAA tournament and each returns a significant portion of last year’s roster. Augustana will play five home games in the first half of the conference season, but just twice at Carver Center in the second half. The Vikings will be on the road for the final four games of the regular season, including the finale on February 22 at Illinois Wesleyan.

2010-11 AUGUSTANA VIKINGS MEN’S BA SKETBALL SCHEDULE

HEAD COACH: Grey Giovanine