BOONEVILLE, Miss. - The Northeast Mississippi Community College basketball programs will get really familiar with the friendly confines of Bonner Arnold Coliseum during the early portion of the 2019-20 campaign.
Both the Lady Tigers and Tigers will play four of their initial six contests in the City of Hospitality as part of an overall 23-game slate that features 13 total home dates.
The men begin with four straight outings at their own venue over the first three weeks of the regular season while the ladies compete in three games in a row. Both of Northeast's teams do not play in a true road matchup until the month of December.
"We like the way the schedule laid out and the challenges ahead of us," said Tigers headman Cord Wright. "We have a bunch of new guys so we wanted to be able to give them an opportunity to get a fresh start at home and build some confidence."
Northeast christens its new season on the Booneville campus for the sixth consecutive year by welcoming Volunteer State (Tenn.) Community College on Thursday, November 7.
The Lady Tigers and Tigers host Lawson State (Ala.) Community College and Wallace State (Ala.) Community College at Hanceville in that opening stretch as well. Northeast's men also take on Faith (Ark.) Preparatory Academy on Monday, November 11.
Both tradition-rich squads take advantage of the first holiday hiatus of the campaign by travelling to neutral site competitions at two different locations across the Magnolia State.
The Lady Tigers participate in the Northwest Tournament from November 21-22. Northeast tangles with Hinds Community College and Snead State (Ala.) Community College at Howard Coliseum in Senatobia.
The Tigers journey some 300-plus miles south from November 25-26 to take part in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Thanksgiving Classic. Northeast meets regional foe Southern (La.) University at Shreveport plus first-time opponent Blessed In Jesus' Name Preparatory Academy in that event.
Northeast kicks off the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division segment of its schedule by entertaining Coahoma Community College on Monday, December 9.
The Lady Tigers and Tigers conclude the fall semester by trekking to Arkansas State University Mid-South, Shelton State (Ala.) Community College and Lawson State from December 12-16.
Northeast returns to action following the Christmas break when the women go to Jackson State (Tenn.) Community College on Saturday, January 4 and the men welcome Mid South (Tenn.) Preparatory Academy two days later.
The MACJC North Division slate ramps up in earnest when rivals Itawamba Community College and Northwest Mississippi Community College come to town on back-to-back dates starting on Thursday, January 9.
Other keynote dates on the calendar include when defending men's state champion East Mississippi Community College visits on Monday, January 27 and when the Lady Tigers and Tigers make the return trip to Itawamba on Monday, February 3.
Northeast pays tribute to its respective sophomore classes on Monday, February 17 during the final regular season home doubleheader versus Mississippi Delta Community College.
"We're looking forward to a prosperous season," Lady Tigers head coach Brenda Mayes said. "I think it's going to be very challenging and competitive. We kept some of the powerhouses that are outside our conference. Hopefully the advantage is going to be on our side."
The North Division women's champion gains hosting privileges for the MACJC Tournament while the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 23 Tournament once again returns to Mississippi College's A.E. Wood Coliseum.