Warriors Face Challenging Schedule in 2019-20

Schedule

Ottumwa -- Eighteen home games and contests against seven national tournament teams from last year, including five who played in the Division I tourney along with Indian Hills, highlight the 2019-20 basketball schedule for the Warriors.

The season begins with a classic Nov. 1-2 when the Warriors entertain three other schools, including John A. Logan from Illinois whom IHCC has never played before in basketball.  Former Indian Hills assistant coach Cole Dewey's Otero JC team will also take part in the event the opening weekend.

The next Friday and Saturday the Warriors will play in Sedalia, Mo., where State Fair CC hosts the inaugural Iowa-Missouri Challenge.  The two-day affair will match four Iowa DI schools against four from Missouri.  Indian Hills will face off against Three Rivers and State Fair.

After the opening two weeks,  IHCC comes back home to battle two teams that were in Hutchinson last spring -- Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Coffeyville (Kans.).

"Many people told me that our schedule last year was the hardest they had ever seen," said IHCC coach Hank Plona.  "We were rewarded with an at-large bid (to the national tournament) when we needed one, so that is the idea of playing difficult opponents.  Just as important to me, it helps our team and players improve each and every day."

Plona added, "Scheduling is hard because everyone seems to want to try and make things in their own favor, but we quite simply just try and find the best teams that are willing to play us.  We will play anybody anywhere, and I think we prove that once again this year."

The Warriors will return a game from 2018-19 when they take on yet another national tourney squad, Northwest Florida State, in Niceville, Fla., Nov. 23 on their longest road trip of the year.  Then, it will be another weekend on the road with a pair of tests at Moberly, Mo.

And that's just the November schedule.  Ten games total, all of them against high-quality foes. 

"Playing five different teams that got to Hutch, and that doesn't even include a potential top-five preseason team in John A. Logan, will be quite a challenge, but we are looking forward to it," the coach said about another rugged schedule.

There are five more non-league contests in December and an additional four to begin the month of January before the conference slate starts with a trip to West Burlington and a matchup with archrival Southeastern on Jan. 15.  The two teams split their regular-season dates a year ago and wound up tied for the conference title.  It was the 10th straight league championship for the Warriors, who finished 27-7 overall.

Plona said, "I am very excited about the 2019-20 season and I think we have put together a tough schedule of opponents that will be a challenge for us and provide for exciting games each and every night."

There are still a couple of open spots on the roster, according to the Warrior leader.  "Our guys will report to school just before the first day of class on Aug. 26, and we will get right after it, trying to get ready for the upcoming year.  Having two key guys like JD Muila and Tyon Grant-Foster back will help a ton.  They both played meaningful minutes as freshmen, had great performances at Hutch, and I know they are motivated to help our team get back there."

The Warriors have qualified for the national tourney in each of Plona's previous four years at the helm and will shoot for their sixth consecutive trip this season.