DEMOREST — The Piedmont College women's basketball team is setting up for the upcoming season under coach Jamie Purdy with a strong schedule that includes a trip up north and hosting two tournaments in Cave Arena.
The Lady Lions open up at home against Birmingham Southern College before hitting the road to head to the Prarie State for a pair of games near the Chicago area. On the trip, Purdy's team will play North Central College on November 11 and North Park University on Nov. 19.
The Lady Lions return to Cave Arena on November 26 and 27 for the USA South/SAA Classic. Home state opponents Oglethorpe University and Berry College come to Demorest after last year's event in Atlanta on the campus of Oglethorpe. The Stormy Petrels battled past the buzzer to beat the Lady Lions in overtime 77-75 with the Lions were led by Dakota Sullens who posted her season high of 21 points against the Stormy Petrels. Against Berry College last year, the Lady Lions fought for three quarters, but that was not enough to stop the 18 point fourth quarter put up by the Vikings finishing the game 65-52.
The Lady Lions open up USA South play against new conference oppenent Salem College in Demorest. During the 2015-16 season, the Lady Lions traveled to Winston Salem to play the Spirits winning by 23-points. The Lady Lions scored 20 or more points in three of the four quarters.
Back on the road, the Lady Lions head to Birmingham, Ala., to play Birmingham-Southern once again in the 2016-17 season after facing the Panthers earlier in the year. The Lady Lions are currently undefeated in the series 4-0 winning two games in Demorest and two games in Birmingham.
After a non-conference road trip up to Charlotte to face Johnson & Wales on Dec. 16, the Lady Lions travel to Danville, Virginia to play conference opponents Ferrum College (Dec. 18) and Averett University (Dec. 19), though these games are not considered conference play. Rather, these games are part of the Averett University East-West Tournament, with Maryville College alos in attendence.
Another home tournament is on the schedule for Dec. 29-30 in Cave Arena as the Lady Lions play host to Meredith College, Emory University, and Huntingdon College for the Cancer Awareness Tourney. The Lady Lions won the event the past two years. In the 2014-15 season, the Lady Lions finished by beating Emory University 81-69 for the tournament championship while in the 2015-16 season PC beat Hannover College 84-77 after an explosive 50-point second half.
Piedmont will then begin the New Year with 13 straight USA South Conference games to finish out the season beginning with a trip up Lookout Mountain to challenge Covenant College on January 6. Less than 24-hours later, the Lady Lions take on Maryville College. In the final contest of the 2015-16 season, the Scots of Maryville College defeated the Lady Lions in the USA South Championship game.
After the quick turn around, conference games continue in Demorest with four straight in Cave Arena. Two first year USA South opponents start this four game home streak for the Lady Lions.
Wesleyan College comes to Demorest on Jan. 14 and Agnes Scott on Jan. 15. A few days of practice separates before another back-to-back game days in the Cave Arena as Huntingdon College is in Demorest on Jan. 21 and LaGrange College on Jan. 22.
The Lady Lions bounce around the Southeast from Winston-Salem to Montgomery and a few stops in the Lady Lions' home state in between. The Lady Lions will be at Salem on Jan. 25, Wesleyan on Jan. 28, and Agnes Scott on Jan. 29. To start February, the ladies are at Huntingdon on the 4th and at LaGrange on the 5th.
The final contests of the regular season land here in Demorest with Covenant College on Feb. 10 and another quick turn around before playing Maryville College the next day in the Cave Arena.
After a run to the USA South Championship game last season, the Lady Lions may have another opportunity with the tournament falling on Feb. 17-25 with the highest seed hosting. With the addition of three new programs to the USA South Conference, the 2016-17 season will be full of familiar faces in conference play as the Lady Lions have faced all three teams in past years holding a combined record against them of 46-5.
