ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The South Carolina State University men's basketball program has released its 2014-15 schedule, a slate that includes just 10 home games, and 19 road contests including conference and non-conference play.

"We are excited to announce this year's schedule, it's one of the most challenging schedules in recent years for the Bulldogs," said SC State head coach Murray Garvin.  "We open the season on a Northwest/West Coast swing against University of Washington (Nov. 14) and San Francisco (Nov. 16) before cutting back across the country to face ACC Champion the Virginia Cavaliers (Nov. 18)."

The Bulldogs open up at home against Columbia International on Nov. 25, before heading to Statesboro, Ga. to take on Georgia Southern on Nov. 29.
 
SCSU then returns to the Palmetto State to battle defending Big South Champion Coastal Carolina on Dec. 2 in Conway, S.C. Garvin and the Bulldogs made their mark last season sweeping the Chanticleers in a home-and-home series for the first time in school history.

The Bulldogs have early MEAC battles with Florida A&M on Dec. 6 and Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 8 at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. SC State takes on College of Charleston on Dec. 11 before closing out their home-and-home series with Coastal Carolina on Dec. 14.

The highlight of SC State's non-conference schedule will be during the holiday season at the Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 20-24 in a four-team tournament. Before that, the Bulldogs will hit the Lone Star State to take on University of Houston on Dec. 17 and Texas Tech on Dec. 19 in Lubbock, Tex. 

From there, the Bulldogs close out non-conference play against Fordham University on Dec. 31 in the Bronx, N.Y. and last year's NCAA Tournament participant Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 3 in Richmond, K.Y. In all, the Bulldogs will face four teams this year that received bids to the NCAA Tournament last season.

Garvin stated, "We expect our tough schedule early on to prepare us for a tough Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) schedule in January.

After the holiday, SC State counties conference play on a four-game road swing beginning with N.C. Central on Jan. 10 in Durham, N.C. and N.C. A&T on Jan. 12 in Greensboro, N.C. The Bulldogs head north for a showdown against the Hornets of Delaware State on Jan. 17 in Dover, Del., before heading to Princess Anne, Md. to face Maryland Eastern Shore on Jan. 19.
 
Three straight home games follow with Norfolk State (Jan. 24), Hampton (Jan. 26) and Delaware State (Jan. 21), then the Bulldogs hit the road for a three-game MEAC swing against Coppin State (Feb. 7) and Morgan State (Feb. 9) in Baltimore, Md. and then Savannah State (Feb.14) in Savannah, Ga.

SC State then returns Smith-Hammond-Middleton for their final three homes games of the season with UMES (Feb. 21), Howard (Feb.23) and Savannah State (Feb. 28). The Bulldogs close out the regular season on the road against Bethune-Cookman (Mar. 5) in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament will be held March 9-14 at the Norfolk Scope Arena.

Dates and times are subject to change.

For more information on South Carolina State University basketball, please call the Office of Athletic Media Relations at (803) 536-7060 or visit the official Bulldog website at www.scsuathletics.com.