September 12, 2008-Fourteen home games and a regular season trip to NCAA Division I tournament team Kansas State highlight the 2008-09 Emporia State men's basketball schedule.

The Hornets will open play with exhibition games against Wichita State and defending national champion Kansas on back to back nights in early November. ESU will travel south to Koch Arena on Nov. 10 to take on the Shockers and go the other way on the Kansas Turnpike the next day to Allen Fieldhouse to play the Jayhawks. This is the sixth time in the last seven years ESU has faced WSU in exhibition action. This is the seventh meeting since 1992 with Kansas and the third time it has been an exhibition game.

ESU will open the regular season with three road games, beginning at Eastern New Mexico on Nov. 17 in Portales, N.M. The Hornets will then play their first regular season game against an NCAA Division I team in six years when they travel to Kansas State on Nov. 19. The last regular season game against a Division I team was a 113-61 loss at Kansas on Dec. 14, 2002. The Hornets will wrap up their road swing with a game at Newman in Wichita on Nov. 22.

ESU will finally make their first appearance in White Auditorium on Nov. 25 against Ottawa. It will be the first of five straight home games for the Hornets.

ESU will open MIAA play with a rematch of the 2008 MIAA Tournament Championship game against Northwest Missouri. The Hornets fell in double overtime to the Bearcats in NWMSU's last trip to White Auditorium. For the first time in school history, the Hornets will play three MIAA games during the first semester of the school year. In addition to NWMSU, ESU will take on Missouri Western on December 6 and travel to Central Missouri on December 13.

ESU wrap up non-conference play with games against Central Christian and Bethany on Dec. 10 and Dec. 20 respectively.

The Hornets will travel to Kirksville, Mo. on December 29 before returning to White Auditorium for a New Year's Eve match-up with Neb.-Omaha. The UNO game will begin a three game homestand for ESU that will include Southwest Baptist on January 3 and Missouri Southern on January 7.

A trip to Pittsburg State on January 10 precedes the first "Turnpike Tussle" of the 2008-09 season. The Ichabods are the Hornets most played rival with the all-time series tied at 94 wins apiece.

ESU will then embark on a three game road trip starting January 21 at FHSU to wrap up the first round of MIAA play. The second half of the conference season will see ESU play at Northwest Missouri on January 24 and at Missouri Western on January 28.

The Hornets will return home for a rare Sunday afternoon game on February 1 against Truman. The Sunday tip is to accommodate the Lyon County League Tournament in White Auditorium. ESU will play the second of their only back to back home games of the second half on February 4 against UCM before going on a three game road trip. The Hornets will play at UNO, at SBU and at MSSU from February 7-14.

ESU will end the regular season with the three other Kansas members of the MIAA. The Hornets will take on Pittsburg State on February 18 before travelling up the turnpike to play WU on February 25. ESU will honor their seniors on February 28 against FHSU.

The MIAA Tournament will be held March 5-8 at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City. The NCAA South Central Regional is scheduled for March 13-16 at a yet to be determined campus site. The Elite Eight will return to the birth place of basketball, Springfield, Mass., on March 25-28.

The Hornets advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship game last season and have been to the NCAA Tournament twice in the last five years.

2008-09 ESU Men's Basketball Schedule

DateOpponentLocationTime

Nov. 10at $Wichita StateWichita, Kan.7:00 p.m.

Nov. 11 at $KansasLawrence, Kan.7:00 p.m.

Nov. 17 at Eastern New MexicoPortales, N.M.7:00 p.m.

Nov. 19 at Kansas StateManhattan, Kan.7:00 p.m.

Nov. 22 at NewmanWichita, Kan.7:00 p.m.

Nov. 25 OttawaEmporia7:30 p.m.

Nov. 29 BenedictineEmporia5:00 p.m.

Dec. 3 *Northwest MissouriEmporia7:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 *Missouri WesternEmporia7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 Central ChristianEmporia7:00 p.m.

Dec. 13 at *Central MissouriWarrensburg, Mo.8:00 p.m.

Dec. 20 BethanyEmporia7:30 p.m.

Dec. 29 at *TrumanKirksville, Mo.7:30 p.m.

Dec. 31 *Nebraska-OmahaEmporia7:30 p.m.

Jan. 3 *Southwest BaptistEmporia7:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 *Missouri SouthernEmporia7:30 p.m.

Jan. 10 at *Pittsburg StatePittsburg, Kan.7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 *WashburnEmporia7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 at *Ft. Hays StateHays, Kan.7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 at *Northwest MissouriMaryville, Mo.3:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 at *Missouri WesternSt. Joseph, Mo.7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 *TrumanEmporia3:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 *Central MissouriEmporia7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 at *Nebraska-OmahaOmaha, Neb.3:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 at *Southwest BaptistBolivar, Mo.7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 at *Missouri SouthernJoplin, Mo.7:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 *Pittsburg StateEmporia7:30 p.m.

Feb. 25 at *WashburnTopeka, Kan.7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28 Ft. Hays StateEmporia7:30 p.m.

March 5,7-8MIAA TournamentKansas City, Mo.TBA

March 13-16NCAA South Central RegionalTBATBA

March 25-28NCAA Elite EightSpringfield, Mass.TBA

$Exhibition Game *MIAA Game

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