SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word head men's basketball coach Carson Cunningham has announced the Cardinals' 2019–20 schedule. With two Power-5 opponents and six teams coming off of 18-plus wins last season, UIW's non-conference schedule will provide no shortage of challenges heading into Southland Conference action.
 
"Our non-conference schedule takes us to varied parts of America's epic landscape," Cunningham said. "From the edge of Missouri's Ozarks and Northern Colorado's high plains, to Portland's Boring Lava Field, Seattle's First Hill, and Pullman's stretch of the Palouse Prairie. It features stiff road tests versus Power 5 teams Missouri and Washington State, and against fellow Catholic institutions, the University of Portland and Seattle University. And we are super excited for our new, round-robin event at UIW vs. Eastern Illinois, Bethune-Cookman, and St. Francis (IL)."
 
UIW opens the season Nov. 6 on the road against the Missouri Tigers of the Southeastern Conference. Mizzou finished last season winning four of their final six games, including a postseason victory over Georgia in the SEC Tournament. 
 
Following the trip to Columbia, the Cardinals head west for a battle against last year's Big Sky regular season runner-up, Northern Colorado, on Nov. 8. The Bears went 21-11 in 2018-19, with a strong 15-5 conference record. 
 
UIW will host a multi-team tournament at the McDermott Center from Nov. 22-24, featuring matchups against Bethune-Cookman, St. Francis Illinois and Eastern Illinois, with the latter two teams both racking up 18 wins a season ago.
 
The Southland Conference schedule features three teams who played postseason basketball: the SLC tournament champion, Abilene Christian, earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, Sam Houston State made it to the NIT, and New Orleans participated in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. 
 
UIW commences conference play at Nicholls on Jan. 2 before hosting Northwestern State on Jan. 8 for the first home SLC game of the season. The top eight teams in the conference compete in the 2020 Southland Conference Tournament, slated for March 11-14 at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
 
"We are hard at work preparing," Cunningham said. "Our non-conference slate should prepare us well for the battle-rama that is the Southland Conference, which features a twenty-game schedule this year. We aim to represent Incarnate Word well and play a gritty, coordinated, and joyful brand of ball."
 
To purchase tickets to any home event, visit the online ticket office or call 210-805-3000.

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