Vermillion, S.D. - The University of South Dakota men's basketball team begins its Great West Conference title defense with a solid non-conference slate and 14 home games during the 2010-11 schedule, which was announced by head coach Dave Boots today. The Coyotes finished 22-10 last season to win the GWC regular season and tournament and earn a berth in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

"This is the most difficult schedule we have had since our move to NCAA Division I," Boots said. "It will provide our fans with some good home games and some very difficult road games. It should be a schedule that will test a very young team."

USD's non-conference schedule includes four schools that qualified for postseason play during 2009-10 and several big names coming to the DakotaDome. The Coyotes travel to Marquette for a second consecutive season on Nov. 20, after opening the season at the Big 12 Conference's Nebraska on Nov. 12. A perennial power in the Big East Conference, the Golden Eagles posted a 23-11 record last season while qualifying for the NCAA tournament. USD follows with a trip to the Illinois State Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 26-28, and opens the tournament against the host Redbirds on the first day. ISU made the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) last season with a 22-11 campaign. USD also faces Jacksonville State on Nov. 27 and Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 28 at the event.

South Dakota's home schedule kicks into high gear on Dec. 1 when the Mountain West's Wyoming comes to Vermillion. The Cowboys will be the fourth full-fledged NCAA Division I program to visit the DakotaDome in the last two years, and the first from a major conference.

USD's tough opponents continue with road trips to Wisconsin on Dec. 4 and Loyola Marymount on Dec. 11. The Big 10's Badgers notched a 24-9 record in 2009-10 to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to Cornell. The Lions went 18-16, including a win over ninth-ranked Gonzaga, to earn an invitation to the CIT. The Coyotes wrap up the non-conference schedule and 2010 with a five-game homestand, including a game against Loyola Marymount on Dec. 22.

The Coyotes open the GWC season at long-time rival North Dakota on Jan. 15, before beginning a five-game homestand against Houston Baptist on Jan. 27. The Huskies finished second in the GWC regular-season standings in 2009-10 and played the Coyotes in the GWC tournament final. Road games at Chicago State and NJIT on Feb. 10 and 12 will test USD before it heads to Utah Valley on Feb. 17.

The Coyotes wrap up the home campaign against NJIT and Chicago State on Feb. 24 and 26, while concluding the regular season at Texas-Pan American and Houston Baptist on March 3 and 5. Utah Valley hosts the GWC tournament for a second consecutive year in Orem, Utah. The Coyotes will seek to defend their title on March 10-12, and earn another berth in the CIT tournament.

For the complete 2010-11 USD schedule, click on the link above. Season tickets for the USD women and men are now available to purchase by calling the USD Ticket Office at (605) 677-5959. More information on season tickets, including the new Pick Six Plan, is available by clicking on the link above.