NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State University men's basketball coach Anthony Evans announced his team's 2008-09 schedule on Friday. The non-conference slate includes in-state opponents Longwood and William & Mary, trips to Michigan and Air Force, and two tournaments during the month of December.

“We've put together a good schedule with some very tough teams on it,” Evans said. “But I feel that as long as we play hard every game, we have a chance to be competitive with everyone we play.”

Preseason preparations will get underway earlier than usual this season as NSU will play two preseason games during a tour of the Bahamas from Aug. 29 through Sept. 1. NSU will face two club teams from the Nassau area and will be permitted 10 practices to prepare for the trip.

“The Bahamas trip should serve a couple of purposes for us,” Evans said. “Being able to practice that early in the year will give our players a chance to come together as a unit on and off the court.”

The Spartans tip off their regular season at Longwood on Sunday, Nov. 16. The teams have met each of the last two seasons, with the Lancers winning both contests.

Next, the Spartans make the short trip up Interstate 64 to face William & Mary on Nov. 19. It will be just the second meeting between the schools, and the first since 1982-83.

The Spartans close out November with games at Michigan (Nov. 25) and Air Force (Nov. 30). The Spartans will be facing the Wolverines for the first time, and the game also marks NSU's first against a Big 10 school since facing Ohio State during the 2005-06 season. This will be the third straight season in which NSU has traveled to Colorado Springs to face the Falcons, with Air Force winning both previous meetings.

December's slate begins with the Spartans' only non-conference home game. NSU hosts Jacksonville State on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. in a rematch of a game the Spartans won 76-72 last Dec. 29 in Jacksonville, Ala. That will be NSU's last game at Echols Hall until opening the home MEAC schedule on Jan. 17 against Delaware State.

December's schedule also includes the MEAC opener at North Carolina A&T on Dec. 6 and a game at Wright State on Dec. 17. Following those contests, NSU will take part in a pair of tournaments, at Missouri State and Montana State. Missouri State is the host for the three-day, four-team exempt tournament sponsored by the Basketball Travelers from Dec. 20-22. The round-robin event also features UC Irvine and Middle Tennessee State.

The Montana State Classic runs Dec. 28-29 and also includes Texas-Pan American and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The final 17 games of the year are against MEAC opponents. Like last season, only 16 games against MEAC teams count in the conference standings. The two games against Winston-Salem State do not count in the conference standings because the Rams are not eligible for the MEAC Tournament. In the league's unbalanced schedule, NSU will face Coppin State, Morgan State, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman once each. The Spartans will play every other MEAC school twice.

After a three-year run at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., the MEAC Tournament moves to Winston-Salem, N.C. and the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum for the next three seasons. The 2009 tournament is March 9-14.

To view the complete schedule, click here.