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Tuesday, July 24, 2001
Islanders release 2001-02 schedule
A&M-CC women’s basketball team will face strong programs
By Matt Young
Caller-Times

Estes

The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team no longer wants to be thought of as a fledgling program. That much is obvious from the 2001-02 schedule that the third-year program released Monday.
   The Islanders will face at least three teams that played in last year's NCAA Tournament and at least three more that played in the WNIT.
   "This is a very tough schedule by any standard, let alone for a third-year program," A&M-Corpus Christi coach Sheryl Estes said.
   Among the schedule's highlights:

Islanders schedule

Date Opponent Time (CST)
Nov. 4 HOUSTON JAGUARS (exhib.) 3 p.m.
Nov. 17 RICE 7 p.m.
Nov. 19 SAM HOUSTON STATE 7 p.m.
Nov. 23 KOCH PETROLEUM CLASSIC 7 p.m.
Nov. 24 KOCH PETROLEUM CLASSIC 5 or 7 p.m. (Mercer, Murray State, Eastern Illinois, A&M-CC)
Nov. 27 DENVER 7 p.m.
Nov. 30 at Missouri Tournament 6 or 8 p.m.
Dec. 1 at Missouri Tournament 6 or 8 p.m. (Missouri, SE Missouri St., Southeastern Louisiana, A&M-CC)
Dec. 6 UT-EL PASO 7 p.m.
Dec. 8 at Nebraska 7:05 p.m.
Dec. 15 at Southwest Texas State TBA
Dec. 18 at TCU 7 p.m.
Dec. 21 at Central Florida Tournament TBA
Dec. 22 at Central Florida Tournament TBA (Central Florida, South Alabama, Mississippi, A&M-CC)
Dec. 30 MONTANA STATE 3 p.m.
Jan. 2 at UNLV TBA
Jan. 6 ST. EDWARD'S 3 p.m.
Jan. 9 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 7 p.m.
Jan. 12 CENTENARY 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 at Houston 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 LIPSCOMB 7 p.m.
Jan. 21 GARDNER-WEBB 7 p.m.
Jan. 23 at UT-Arlington TBA
Jan. 31 at Lipscomb (Tenn.) 6 p.m.
Feb. 2 at Gardner-Webb (N.C.) 5 p.m.
Feb. 9 UT-PAN AMERICAN 3 p.m.
Feb. 14 at North Texas TBA
Feb. 16 at Centenary (La.) 5 p.m.
Feb. 23 at UT-Pan American TBA


A&M-Corpus Christi opens the season against Rice on Nov. 17 at Memorial Coliseum. Rice went 21-10 last year and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

The Islanders also will play tournament teams Denver and TCU on Nov. 27 and Dec. 18, respectively.

A&M-Corpus Christi will play in Missouri's tournament Nov. 30-Dec. 1. That tournament could feature a matchup between the Islanders and Missouri, who made it to the Sweet 16 last year.

The Islanders also will play UNLV, Houston and North Texas - all teams from last year's WNIT.

A&M-Corpus Christi also could face WNIT qualifier Mississippi in the Central Florida tournament in December.
   "I think we're ready for this type of schedule, because we have some experienced players that have been in our program since the beginning and now they're juniors and seniors," Estes said. "I think we'll be better just by the experience factor alone."
   In their inaugural season, the Islanders didn't play any teams that had qualified for the postseason. Last year, SMU was the only NCAA Tournament team on the schedule.
   "This schedule is definitely a significant step up from the last two years," Estes said. "After this year, we'll be eligible for the postseason ourselves, so we want to gauge where we're at by playing other teams that have made it to the postseason."
   After A&M-Corpus Christi went 14-12 in its first season and 16-11 last season, Estes found it a little harder to find teams willing to play her squad, she said.
   "It's getting harder to make out the schedule," Estes said. "The first year was easy, because you tell coaches that you're a first-year program and they're eager to schedule you so they can pencil in a win. After establishing ourselves as having a winning record the last two years, teams are going to shy away from playing you."
   A&M-Corpus Christi lost leaders Detra Johnson and Rocky Grayson to graduation, but returns 11 other players, including four starters.
   "We expect to continue to improve," Estes said. "We've got some good players coming in, and we have so many players coming back. I'm not sure it will be reflected in our record because of the tougher schedule, but we expect to be better."


Contact Matt Young at 886-3702 or youngm@caller.com

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