The Eastern Mennonite University women’s basketball team will open its 2011-12 season with a tip-off classic, welcoming three teams to Yoder Arena on Nov. 18-19.
The classic will be two of the Royals’ 14 home games in their 24-game schedule, which was released today. EMU hosts York (NY), Stevenson and Mary Baldwin at the classic, playing Stevenson at 8:00pm on Nov. 18 and York at 4:00pm on Nov. 19. MBC will play the other team beforehand each day.
After the season-opening weekend, the women jump right into their 20-game Old Dominion Athletic Conference slate, playing at last year’s champion, Randolph-Macon, on Nov. 22. The tough start continues with a Nov. 28 game at Bridgewater, which tied R-MC for the regular crown, and then a Nov. 30 hosting of Roanoke, which finished third.
The Royals play five of their eight pre-Christmas games at home, wrapping up with a non-conference contest with Shenandoah on Dec. 17.
Lynchburg comes to Harrisonburg on Jan. 3 to start the 2012 half of the schedule. The women play seven home games in the month of January, including rival Bridgewater on Jan. 24.
The final home game of the year is Feb. 11 when Virginia Wesleyan visits. Eastern Mennonite then closes with games at Randolph, Emory & Henry and Guilford. The ODAC Tournament starts Feb. 23.
The Royals finished 15-11 in 2010-11 with a 13-7 mark in the ODAC, making the conference tourney for the tenth straight year.