Aug. 27, 2004
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Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri Men's Basketball Team will definitely get to know its new home court (the Paige Sports Arena) during the 2004-05 season. The Tigers' upcoming schedule was released today and includes a record 20 possible home contests and 13 opponents who reached post-season play in 2003-04. Mizzou will begin playing in the new 15,000-seat, $75 million facility after spending their last 32 seasons at the hallowed halls of the Hearnes Center. The Paige is sold out of season tickets and Mizzou has sold 26 percent more season tickets for this season than they did in 2003.
After exhibition contests with in-state schools Central Missouri State (Nov. 4) and Northwest Missouri State (Nov. 10), Head Coach Quin Snyder's Tigers will begin the regular season with a first round match-up with Brown University in the Guardians Classic in Columbia. Other schools that will play in the Tigers' regional include Sam Houston State and Houston.
If Missouri is able to advance through the regional, they will play the final two rounds of the tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, MO (Nov. 23-24). The Tigers have not played in the Guardians event since 2001-02 when they took the title in a thrilling championship contest against Iowa.
Following the Guardians Classic, Mizzou will make its longest home stand since 1999-00 when they play five straight games at the Paige Sports Arena. The home stand will begin on Nov. 28 when MU welcomes NCAA Tournament qualifier Murray State and will include contests against Oakland (Dec. 4), border rival Arkansas (Dec. 7), Montana (Dec. 19) and will conclude against Big 10 basketball power Indiana on Dec. 19.
The Tigers will stay with that Big 10 theme on Dec. 22 when the annual Busch Braggin' Rights game tips off at the Savvis Center in St. Louis, MO. The Tigers hope to celebrate during an eight-day hiatus over the holidays and will face Washington's finest in the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Dec. 30. This contest should be an exciting one as the two squads battled into overtime last year in the "Battle in Seattle" at the Key Arena.
Mizzou will then celebrate the New Year in a truly patriotic manner when they welcome the Patriot League's own American Eagles on Jan. 4. Then, for the second straight season, Mizzou will open play in the gauntlet that is the Big 12 Conference against Iowa State in the Paige.
After playing 13 home games to that point, the Tigers will have a mini two game road swing with trips to Final Four qualifier Oklahoma State (Jan. 11) and a stop in Manhattan to take on Kansas State (Jan. 15) at Bramlage. The Tigers will then return home for two contests against Bob Knight's Texas Tech Red Raiders and NIT qualifier Nebraska on Jan. 19 and Jan. 22 respectively. Following a trip to Boulder to face Colorado and a visit from Kansas State, Mizzou will make a trek to vaunted rival Kansas for an ESPN Big Monday matchup with the Hawkers on Jan. 31.
MU will open the month of February with a trip to College Station, TX, to take on Texas A&M (Feb. 5) before winging off to Vegas to take on the Runnin' Rebels of UNLV. Visits from Oklahoma (Feb. 12), whom the Tigers have taken two of their last three meetings, and Baylor (Feb. 16) will welcome the Tigers back from Nevada. They will finish up the month of February with a trip to Nebraska (Feb. 19) , a home contest against Colorado (Feb. 22) and a visit to Sweet 16 qualifier Texas (Feb. 26).
The Tigers will wrap on the road portion of their Big 12 regular season at Iowa State (Mar. 2) before welcoming Kansas (Mar. 6) to town for the final regular season game of the year. Following the regular season, the Tigers will compete in the Big 12 Tournament, which will be played Mar. 10-13 in Kansas City, MO for the first time since 2002 at Kemper Arena.
For more information on Missouri Basketball, log on to www.mutigers.com. Following is a complete schedule for the 2004-05 season.
2004-05 Schedule Facts You May or May Not Care About
• 13 of the Tigers opponents advanced to post-season play last year
NCAA Tournament National Invitation Tournament
Murray State Nebraska
Illinois Iowa State
Gonzaga Colorado
Oklahoma State Oklahoma
Texas Tech UNLV
Kansas Creighton
Texas
• Mizzou will open its first season at the Paige Sports Arena after calling Hearnes home for 32 years.
• The Tigers will continue to play on Norm Stewart Court. The name of the court will carry over into the new building after adorning the Hearnes Center floor for the past four seasons.
• Every regular season Missouri basketball game will be televised in some fashion during 2004-05. Last season, 29 of the Tigers' 30 games were on the tube and all 33 of Mizzou's contests were televised in 2002-03.
• Head Coach Quin Snyder goes for win number 101 in the Tigers' season opener against Brown. He 100-63 (.613) in his five years at Mizzou.
• Former Mizzou assistant Kim Anderson leads the Mules of CMSU to Columbia for the Tigers' exhibition opener.
