OxfordPress.com

With a non-conference schedule that promises to be one of the most exciting of Charlie Coles' 11-year tenure as head coach at Miami University, Coles and the RedHawks have unveiled a 13-game non-league ledger.

Miami will be challenged early and often and faces six teams who advanced to postseason play in 2005-06: NCAA — Kentucky, Illinois, Xavier; NIT — Michigan, Cincinnati; either Bradley (NCAA) or Rutgers (NIT).

"This certainly ranks as one of the most challenging and may be the most challenging non-conference schedule in my time as a head coach," said Coles, who enters his 17th year as a head coach. "It is challenging but not daunting, and I believe it will be a true test of how good we can be. This schedule is packed with quality opponents who will challenge our players to compete at the highest levels every night, which is the type of competitiveness we will need in league play later in the season."

Miami starts the season at home against local rival Wright State on Saturday, Nov. 11 and then travels to Lexington to clash with the Kentucky Wildcats on Wednesday, Nov. 15 in the first meeting between the teams since the 1999 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. The RedHawks return home to host Florida A&M on Friday, Nov. 17 and UIC on Tuesday, Nov. 21 as part of an exempt tournament that will conclude later in the week with a battle against Illinois at the Sears Centre in Chicago on Friday, Nov. 24 and a matchup against either Rutgers or Bradley the following evening. Miami rounds out the month of November at Xavier on Wednesday, Nov. 29 in the second of four tilts against local teams.

In a return game of the 2006 Bracket Buster Presented by eBay event, Miami makes a trip to Illinois State on Tuesday, Dec. 5 and turns around to host Michigan on Thursday, Dec. 7 and Oakland on Sunday, Dec. 10. The RedHawks will take a 10-day break for final examinations and return to the hardwood at Dayton on Wednesday, Dec. 20 before facing Cincinnati on Wednesday, Dec. 27 at U.S. Bank Arena in their final two games against local teams.

Additionally, the RedHawks will be on the road for the first time for the ESPN Bracket Buster game on Saturday, Feb. 17. Miami holds a 3-0 record in the Bracket Buster event.