BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Seven games against teams 2009 post-season tournament teams, including NCAA Sweet 16 entry Memphis, highlights Montana State's 2009-10 men's basketball schedule, announced by Bobcat head coach Brad Huse on Friday.

"Once again we are challenging ourselves with a demanding non-conference schedule," Huse said. "Playing a team like Memphis will be a great experience for our kids. We're excited to play eight home games before Christmas, which will be great for our fans and should benefit our student-athletes because we won't miss much class time at the end of the first semester."

The Bobcats hosts Southern Miss of C-USA, led by former Idaho coach Larry Eustachy, after the November 21 Cat-Griz football game. MSU also plays UC Santa Barbara of the Big West and an ESPN Bracketbuster contest at home. Along with Memphis, the Bobcats visit former Big Sky rivals Nevada and Boise State, and traditional Pac 10 power Oregon, which advanced to the NCAA Elite 8 in 2007.

In addition, the Bobcats play Big Sky Conference games against Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona on December 4 and 5, an early-December league start for the second straight year. That weekend also marks the beginning of a season in which most Big Sky weekends play out on Friday and Saturday nights, a wrinkle Huse appreciates. "This is also the first year that we'll play a majority of our league games back-to-back nights," he said, "which will enable fans from across the state easier access to Bobcat basketball games."

2009-10 Schedule
N3 Saskatchewan (exh)
N9 Valley City (exh.)
N14 at Nevada, TBA
N17 Colorado Christian, TBA
N21 Southern Mississippi, TBA
N25 at San Francisco, TBA
N28 at Oregon, TBA
D4 *Northern Colo., 8:05 pm
D5 *Northern Ariz., 7:05 pm
D9 at Memphis, TBA
D12 Northern New Mexico, TBA
D18 UCSB, 7 pm
D21 at Cal Poly, TBA
D23 at Boise State, TBA
J1 *at Weber State, 7:05 pm
J3 *at Idaho State (TV2), 2:05 pm
J8 *Portland State, 7:05 pm
J10 *Eastern Wash. (TV2), 2:05 pm
J16 *at Sacramento State, TBA
J18 at CS Bakersfield, TBA
J23 *Montana (TV1), TBA
J28 *at Northern Arizona, TBA
J31 *at Northern Colo. (TV2), 2:05 pm
F5 *Idaho State, 7:05 pm
F6 *Weber State, 7:05 pm
F12 *at Eastern Washington, TBA
F13 *at Portland State, TBA
F18 *Sacramento State, 7:05 pm
F20 Bracketbuster, TBA
F27 *at Montana (TV1), 7:05 pm
M6 Big Sky Tourney 1st Round
M9 Big Sky Tourney Semifinals
M10 Big Sky Championship
*-Big Sky game Times are Mountain
TV1-Montana's News Network; TV2-Altitude