"We have put together a very competitive schedule for the upcoming season," Early said. "We have some strong opponents from the SEC and Big 12, some of our old Southland Conference rivals coming to Monroe, and of course our games against the Sun Belt Conference. It is a challenging schedule, but one that should provide excitement for the fans."
ULM begins the season at home for the first time under Early. In fact, three of the Warhawks first four contests will be played inside the friendly confines of Fant-Ewing Coliseum, the first time the feat has happened since the Southland Conference Championship season of 1996-97.
ULM's season opener against Morehead State will be played on Friday, November 14. The Warhawks will then travel to Southeastern Conference-power Mississippi State on November 17 before returning home for a pair against former Southland Conference rivals McNeese State (November 20) and Stephen F. Austin (November 25).
"I think it is great for all the programs involved that we are able to play teams from the Southland Conference," Early said. "We have had some historic battles in the past with those teams and playing teams like McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin can generate excitement in our fans. Each year we would like to play two or three teams from the Southland Conference.”
ULM will then embark on a season-high five-game stretch away from Monroe, La., beginning with a game at Tennessee Tech (November 29) and culminating with the Sun Belt opener at Louisiana-Lafayette (December 15). Included in the stretch is a game at Auburn (December 6), a renewal of the dormant series against Louisiana Tech (December 10), and a return game at McNeese State (December 13).
The Warhawks open the home portion of the league slate at home against New Orleans on December 19 before taking to the road for a game at Colorado before Christmas on December 23.
Three of ULM's four games out of the break will be in Monroe as foes Tennessee Tech (December 29) and Union College of Kentucky (January 3) round out the non-conference portion of the slate inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
ULM plays North Texas only once this season – in Denton on February 19 – but will face defending regular season champion South Alabama in both Monroe (on January 8) and in Mobile, Ala. (on February 21).
Troy (January 17), Florida International (January 24) and Western Kentucky (February 5) also make trips to Fant-Ewing Coliseum from the Sun Belt's East Division. The Warhawks play at Florida Atlantic (January 22) and at Middle Tennessee (January 31).
The top three teams – including the champion from each the league's East and West Divisions – advance directly to Hot Springs, Ark., and await the rest of the field for the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament. The remaining 10 teams play in the opening round at campus sites for the right to advance to the league's championship.
"The Sun Belt Conference has really taken a huge step forward," Early said. "It is going to be another great year and you can't tell going in who will step up and win the league because there are so many talented teams. It is going to be a very exciting year for Sun Belt Conference basketball."
2008-09 ULM WARHAWKS MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Nov. 5 William Carey College (Exh.) Monroe, La. TBA
Nov. 14 Morehead St. Monroe, La. TBA
Nov. 17 Mississippi St. Starkville, Miss. TBA
Nov. 20 McNeese St. Monroe, La. TBA
Nov. 25 Stephen F. Austin Monroe, La. TBA
Nov. 29 Tennessee Tech Cookeville, Tenn. TBA
Dec. 6 Auburn Auburn, Ala. TBA
Dec. 10 Louisiana Tech Ruston, La. TBA
Dec. 13 McNeese St. Lake Charles, La. TBA
Dec. 15 *Louisiana-Lafayette Lafayette, La. TBA
Dec. 19 *New Orleans Monroe, La. TBA
Dec. 23 Colorado Boulder, Colo. TBA
Dec. 29 Tennessee Tech Monroe, La. TBA
Dec. 31 *UALR Little Rock, Ark. TBA
Jan. 3 Union College (Ky.) Monroe, La. TBA
Jan. 8 *South Alabama Monroe, La. TBA
Jan. 11 *Denver Denver, Colo. TBA
Jan. 15 *Arkansas St. Jonesboro, Ark. TBA
Jan. 17 *Troy Monroe, La. TBA
Jan. 22 *Florida Atlantic Boca Raton, Fla. TBA
Jan. 24 *Florida International Monroe, La. TBA
Jan. 31 *Middle Tennessee Murfreesboro, Tenn. TBA
Feb. 5 *Western Kentucky Monroe, La. TBA
Feb. 7 *New Orleans New Orleans, La. TBA
Feb. 12 *Louisiana-Lafayette Monroe, La. TBA
Feb. 14 *UALR Monroe, La. TBA
Feb. 19 *North Texas Denton, Texas TBA
Feb. 21 *South Alabama Mobile, Ala. TBA
Feb. 26 *Denver Monroe, La. TBA
Feb. 28 *Arkansas St. Monroe, La. TBA
Mar. 4 Sun Belt Tournament Campus Sites TBA
Mar. 8-10 Sun Belt Tournament Hot Springs, Ark. TBA