Eureka Men’s and Women’s Basketball Releases 2016-2017 Schedule
EUREKA, Ill. -- The Eureka College Department of Athletics has finalized both the men's and women's basketball schedules for the 2016-2017 season. Basketball returns to the Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center on November 15 at 7 p.m. when the Eureka College women host Knox College. The Eureka College men begin their season on the road November 17 at Dominican University.
Midnight Madness also returns to the Reagan Athletic Complex this year but in a bigger way as both teams plan to entertain Red Devil fans with over eight hours of basketball in a 16-hour span. The women will tip off at midnight on November 19 vs. Robert Morris-Peoria, that's Friday night into Saturday morning. After the first game, the gym along with the Red Devils will rest for 12 hours before the activity picks up again with a women's and men's doubleheader vs. Rockford University, set to tip off at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.
The men's schedule also features two opportunities to catch the Red Devils at Division 1 arenas in exhibition games. On Sunday, November 6 the men travel to Charleston, Illinois to face Eastern Illinois and wrap up exhibition action on November 14 with a rematch of last year's battle at Loyola-Chicago.
The women will also face two Division 1 opponents. On November 11 Eureka travels to Murray, Kentucky to face Murray State in an exhibition game. They will end their Thanksgiving break, Sunday, November 27 at Bradley University.
"We are excited to put together a challenging non-conference schedule that gives our young men a great opportunity to prepare for an always competitive SLIAC season," coach Chip Wilde stated. "Our schedule is highlighted by two D1 exhibition games in November and then we kick off opening weekend at home by partnering with our women's basketball program to put on 16 hours of basketball that will give our students & community a truly unique college basketball experience."
The men's basketball team will be led by Shea Feehan, 2015-16SLIAC's Newcomer of the Year last year, who averaged 22.1 points per game tying his brother for the most points scored per game in Eureka's rich basketball tradition. He will have a strong supporting cast around him as Eureka also returns senior Parker Gibson and sophomore Alex Wiegand two of the top three rebounders from a year ago and sophomore point guard Hank Thomas who averaged just over seven points per game.
The women's basketball team returns four key contributors from last year's squad including SLIAC All-Tournament Team performer Michaela Balducci. They will look to build off their late season success from a year ago winning 8 of their last 12 contests.