The BHSU men's basketball team has much to be excited about for the 2009-10 season and has scheduled some quality opponents to get themselves prepared for their Dakota Athletic Conference schedule.
The exhibition games are highlighted once again with tough NCAA Division I and II opponents starting Nov. 2 against Iowa State of the Big 12. BHSU will also play Division II powerhouses Northern State University (Nov. 9) and Metro State College in Denver. (Dec. 19).
The regular season starts Oct. 31 at home against 2009
NAIA Division I national champion from Rocky Mountain College and is followed by home games on Nov. 6 with Mount Marty College and national tournament participant Dakota Wesleyan on Nov. 7 - which also returns two All-American players in Preston Broughton and Brady Wiebe.
Other opponents include NCAA Division II teams such as Chadron State College (Nov. 17) and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (Dec. 29, Perkins Classic) both of these games will be at the Donald E. Young Center.
"We want to create a schedule that forces us to play at a high level every time we take the floor," said BHSU head coach Paul Sather. "We believe the tough nonconference schedule will really help us prepare for the physical style in the DAC and the difficult travel conditions we will face in January and February. It will be very challenging with some tremendous competition, but our goal is to improve every day and get prepared to make another run at the DAC title with another opportunity to win a national championship."
Last season, the Yellow Jackets finished a school-best 30-5 and won their first DAC championship and DAC tournament championship. BHSU ran all the way to the national semifinal game only to lose to eventual champion Oklahoma Wesleyan. With all five starters returning, three of which are All-Americans - Luke Enos, Will John Johnson, Cain Atkinson - and a deep bench, there is much to be excited about.
For season ticket information and to reserve a new chair-back seat in the Young Center, call John Kietzmann at 642-6832. New bleacher installation has provided 476 reserved chair-back seats for the 2009-10 men's and women's basketball season.
