Thirteen games at Kimbel Arena, a new Saturday start time and a tough Big South Conference schedule highlight the 2004-05 Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball schedule, head coach Alan LeForce announced (Aug. 17). The Lady Chants open with five of its first six games at home.

"Our schedule is very competitive," LeForce said. "It’s tough and demanding, but also I think it will give us a measuring stick of how we are going to do. We’ve got five new people in the program. Going against the people we’re going against early will stretch us and certainly will help us to get ready for our conference. It has all the ingredients you look for."

For the second straight season, the Lady Chants open the 2004-05 campaign with a home game against Anderson Friday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. Coastal then has home games against Campbell (Nov. 23 at 7 p.m.), UNC Wilmington (Nov. 30 at 7 p.m.) and Appalachian State (Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.) before travelling to 2004 NCAA Tournament participant North Carolina Sunday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m., in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Coastal will once again play in the Carolinas Women’s Challenge at the Myrtle Beach Convocation Center. The Lady Chants will face College of Charleston Sunday, Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. After the Christmas Break, Coastal will head to Columbia, S.C., to compete in the University of South Carolina Tournament. CCU will face South Carolina Wednesday, Dec. 29 in the opening round and face either Campbell or Seton Hall in the championship/consolation game Dec. 30.

The Lady Chants have the first of four home doubleheaders with the men’s team Wednesday, Jan. 5, against Coker. The first three doubleheaders will begin at 5 p.m. The Lady Chants open the Big South schedule Saturday, Jan. 15 at eight-time defending champion Liberty University. Coastal plays three straight conference road games before coming home to face High Point University Monday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.

Coastal then plays the first of three Saturday afternoon contests Jan. 29 against Charleston Southern. CCU also faces Winthrop (Feb. 12) and Radford (Feb. 19) at the new 2 p.m., time.

"We just need to acclimate our fans to the time change," LeForce said. "I think it will give our fans an opportunity to watch a good basketball game on a Saturday afternoon and have the evening free to do what they want. Once we get them acclimated, they will enjoy it."

Senior Day will take place as part of a doubleheader Saturday, Feb. 26 against the UNC Asheville.

Coastal is coming off a 13-15 year in which it finished sixth in the Big South. The Lady Chants upset third-seeded High Point 68-62 in the Big South Tournament Quarterfinals before falling to Birmingham-Southern University 55-49 in the semifinals.