South Point Shootout Schedule Released
Jul 09, 2019
A diverse field of ten teams highlight the schedule for the 2019 South Point Shootout. Five of the teams saw postseason play in 2018-19. The tournament, set for November 29 and 30 in Las Vegas at the four-star South Point Hotel and Casino, includes Alabama, Detroit, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Sacred Heart, South Dakota, Ohio State, Tennessee Tech and USC.
Alabama
Alabama is another team that comes from an extremely competitive powerhouse conference. Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide, earned some signature wins including victories over Tennessee and Georgia. Alabama adds guard Brittany Davis, a valuable transfer who arrives from Gulf Coast State College after leading that program to a NJCAA championship in 2018-19.
Detroit Mercy
While last season’s Detroit squad consisted primarily of freshman, those young players will have a year of valuable experience under their belt. With the help of the team’s defensive stopper, senior Zoey Oatis, the Titans look to return to prominence in the Horizon League in the upcoming season.
Nebraska
Nebraska looks to build from the momentum of 2018-19’s high points which included victories over other Power 5 schools and ranked conference foes. With four seniors on the roster plus two juniors, the Huskers have a lot of experienced players to help the team achieve even more success in 2019-20 under head coach Amy Williams.
NIU
Northern Illinois’ 2018-19 winning season ended in the second round of the MAC tournament. However, with senior guard Myia Starks returning, NIU is in a good position to better its record in 2019-20 and make some noise in the MAC. Starks averaged 11.7 points per game last season and led the team in assists and was second in steals and minutes.
Northern Iowa
It is no surprise that Northern Iowa finished 2018-19 with yet another winning record under head coach Tanya Warren. The winningest coach in UNI women’s basketball history, Warren led the team to its sixth 20-win season program history last season. With the addition of transfer Kristina Cavey, a guard from Fresno State who is eligible to play immediately, UNI will once again be a force in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Panthers face Alabama on the first day of the South Point Shootout.
Ohio State
With a young team in 2018-19, Ohio State had its share of ups and downs to start last season. The mix of five freshman and five graduate transfers meant the team had to work hard to build chemistry and camaraderie before putting together some winning streaks and earning a chance at postseason play. Last year’s freshman are now sophomores with a great deal of experience in their arsenal which should bode well for the Buckeyes this season.
Sacred Heart
With seven newcomers on the 2019-20 roster, including two transfers, Sacred Heart expects to better its 19-13 record from last season. The NEC school earned the most wins in conference play since 2015-16 last season. Head coach Jessica Mannetti expects the additions to have an immediate positive impact on the team. Sacred Heart faces Detroit in the first game of the South Point Shootout.
South Dakota
South Dakota earned the team’s first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA tournament last season. That remarkable achievement underscored a banner season for the Coyotes who beat two ranked teams and finished 28-5 with a 14-2 record in conference play under two-time Summit League Coach of the Year Dawn Plitzuweit. South Dakota faces Ohio State on the first day of the South Point Shootout.
Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Tech has a good foundation to build upon after finishing 2018-19 with a 22-11 record, the most wins for the program since 2010-11. In addition, head coach Kim Rosamond earned the Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball coach of the year award. The Golden Eagles face Northern Illinois in the first game of the tournament.
USC
Playing in what many consider the toughest conference in the nation, the Pac-12’s Southern California had their work cut out for them in 2018-19. Nevertheless, under veteran head coach Mark Trakh, the perseverance of the team led them to cap their regular season with a thrilling overtime victory over a talented Utah team. The Trojans open play in Las Vegas against the Big Ten’s Nebraska.
South Point Hotel and Casino is spacious resort that offers fans a wide range of family-friendly entertainment from movies to bowling. Fan room rates will be available at a later date.
For more information on the South Point Shootout, visit SportTours.net and @SportTours on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
2019 South Point Shootout Schedule
*All times listed are PST
Friday, November 29th
11:00 a.m. - Sacred Heart vs. Detroit Mercy
1:15 p.m. - Tennessee Tech vs NIU
3:30 p.m. - South Dakota vs Ohio State
5:45 p.m. - USC vs Nebraska
8:00 p.m. - Northern Iowa vs. Alabama
Saturday, November 30th
11:00 a.m. - Detroit Mercy vs. Tennessee Tech
1:15 p.m. - NIU vs. South Dakota
3:30 p.m. - Nebraska vs. Sacred Heart
5:45 p.m. - Ohio State vs Northern Iowa
8:00 p.m. - Alabama vs USC