UWM Sports Information

Thirteen regular-season home games, a matchup with NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Wisconsin and non-league contests with three conference
champions highlight the 2005-06 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball schedule, released today by head coach Rob Jeter.

The Jeter era at UWM officially gets underway Nov. 15 at Memphis in the
Preseason NIT. The Tigers made the NIT last year and have been a top-10 pick in some pre-season polls. The regular-season home opener is Nov. 21 vs. Upper Iowa.

The Panthers, coming off an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, will also be
challenged by road contests at NCAA qualifiers Wisconsin and Big Sky
champion Montana, plus trips to Ohio Valley Conference champ Tennessee Tech and Wyoming of the Mountain West Conference. The non-league home schedule also includes Saint Louis, Hawai'i, NCAA qualifier and Mid-Continent Conference champ Oakland and a game in ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday.

"I believe we have put together a schedule that will challenge our team on every level," Jeter said. "Thanks to the success this program has enjoyed, scheduling is not easy, and it is especially difficult to find teams willing to play us in Milwaukee. That is why it is so exciting that we can give our fans 13 regular-season home games plus two exhibition contests with state rivals. We also have put together a schedule of road games that will expose our team to a wide variety of environments and test them against teams that have a tradition of success."

UWM could play as many as four games in the single-elimination Preseason NIT. Should the Panthers beat Memphis, they would play either Alabama or Miami (Ohio) on the road two days later. A matchup with the Crimson Tide would be a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament contest won by the Panthers. The semifinals and finals of the event are held at Madison Square Garden in New York Nov. 23 and 25. The Panthers' also have November dates with Upper Iowa Nov. 21 in Milwaukee and at Tennessee Tech Nov. 28.

December's schedule features a number of attractive home games. Saint Louis visits the U.S. Cellular Arena Dec. 3, while Hawai'i comes to Milwaukee on Dec. 10. UWM hosts UW-Green Bay in both teams' Horizon League opener Dec. 17 and Oakland plays at the U.S. Cellular Arena Dec. 21. The month also includes a number of road challenges. The Panthers play at South Dakota State Dec. 6 and at NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Wisconsin Dec. 15. UWM then embarks on a western road trip to Wyoming (Dec. 27) and Montana (Dec. 30) to round out the month.

UWM's league slate continues in a busy month of January, as the Panthers play five games in the first 13 days of the month. The stretch is
highlighted by a pair of road contests against two of UWM's biggest rivals, with the Panthers playing at UIC Jan. 5 and at UW-Green Bay Jan. 14.

The Panthers finish the regular season by playing four of their final five
games at home, including a Feb. 15 date with UIC and the regular-season finale Feb. 21 vs. Detroit.

"One of our goals will always be to win the Horizon League, and I think our non-league schedule will prepare us well for the league," Jeter said. "There are no easy games within league play, and I expect the league will be as difficult as ever this year." The Horizon League Tournament runs from Feb. 28-March 7, with the league's regular-season champion again owning hosting rights for the semifinals and finals.

UWM is coming off its best season in school history, recording a 26-6 record and reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers return four starters and nine letterwinners from a team that finished 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25.

2005-06 Schedule

WED. NOV. 2        UW-PARKSIDE (EX)        8 PM
TUES. NOV. 8    UW-PLATTEVILLE (EX)    7 PM

Tues. Nov. 15    @ Memphis (Preseason NIT)    7 pm
Thurs. Nov. 17    @ Preseason NIT (if advance)    TBA
Wed. Nov. 23    @ Preseason NIT (if advance)    TBA
Fri. Nov. 25    @ Preseason NIT (if advance)    TBA

MON. NOV. 21    UPPER IOWA            7 PM
Mon. Nov. 28    @ Tennessee Tech        7 pm

SAT. DEC. 3        SAINT LOUIS            8 PM
Tues. Dec. 6    @ South Dakota State    7 pm
SAT. DEC. 10    HAWAI’I            7 PM
Thurs. Dec. 15    @ Wisconsin            7 pm
SAT. DEC. 17    UW-GREEN BAY        7 PM
WED. DEC. 21    OAKLAND            7 PM
Tues. Dec. 27    @ Wyoming            8 pm
Fri. Dec. 30    @ Montana            8:05 pm

MON. JAN. 2        CLEVELAND STATE*        7 PM
Thurs. Jan. 5    @ UIC*            7 pm
SAT. JAN. 7        BUTLER*            7 PM
WED. JAN. 11    LOYOLA*            7 PM
Sat. Jan. 14    @ UW-Green Bay*        7 pm
Wed. Jan. 18    @ Detroit*            6 pm
SAT. JAN. 21    WRIGHT STATE*        7 PM
Thurs. Jan. 26    @ Youngstown State*    6:05 pm
Mon. Jan. 30    @ Loyola*            7 pm

Thurs. Feb. 2    @ Wright State*        6 pm
Sat. Feb. 4    @ Butler*                1 pm
THURS. FEB. 9    YOUNGSTOWN STATE*        7:30 PM
Sat. Feb. 11    @ Cleveland State*    4:30 pm
WED. FEB. 15    UIC*                7 PM
SAT. FEB. 18    ESPN BRACKET BUSTER    TBA
TUES. FEB. 21    DETROIT*            7 PM

Check out more 2005-06 Team Schedules.