BOONE, N.C. ? Fourteen home contests, a full slate of Southern Conference games, another ESPNU BracketBusters matchup and contests against Kentucky and Texas highlight Appalachian State University’s 2008-09 men’s basketball schedule, head coach Houston Fancher announced Wednesday.

The back-to-back SoCon North Division champions begin the season on Friday, November 14 at UNC Wilmington, renewing the in-state rivalry that has been dormant since 1993-94. Appalachian opens up the home schedule on November 19 when Charlotte visits the Holmes Center for the first time since ASU prevailed, 103-100, in a thrilling triple-overtime contest in 2002. The Mountaineers will then take to the road with revenge on the mind to face Niagara in scenic Niagara Falls, N.Y. on November 22. Last season, Niagara clipped the Apps at home on a last-second three-pointer.

A home contest is next on the books with Campbell visiting on November 29 before the team begins defense of its North Division title with a pair of SoCon tilts in the South Carolina Upstate against Furman and Wofford on December 3 and 6, respectively. The brief foray into league play is broken up by four non-conference games beginning with a December 13 home date with former league-rival East Tennessee State.

On December 20, the Apps will look to build upon their recent history of defeating Southeastern Conference teams on neutral floors when they face the winningest program in NCAA history, Kentucky, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. In 2006-07, ASU defeated Vanderbilt in San Juan, Puerto Rico and toppled Arkansas in Little Rock, Ark. last season.

The squad will rest for nine days over the holidays before returning home to face nearby Milligan College in Boone on Dec. 30. Appalachian then flies to Austin, Texas to face the University of Texas on January 2. The game will be ASU’s first-ever against the Longhorns, who are guided by Hickory, N.C. native Rick Barnes.

Following the trip to the Lone Star State, the Mountaineers return to the Mountain and begin the SoCon season in earnest with a three-game homestand against Elon (Jan. 8), UNC Greensboro (Jan. 10) and defending SoCon champion Davidson (Jan. 12). Road contests against Chattanooga (Jan. 15), new SoCon member Samford (Jan. 17) and College of Charleston (Jan. 21) follow before another three-game homestand featuring Western Carolina (Jan. 24), Wofford (Jan. 29) and Furman (Jan. 31).

The team really hits the road in February with six of its first eight games away from home beginning with a trip to Georgia Southern (Feb. 2). A home date against The Citadel (Feb. 5) is tempered by a three-game swing that begins against Elon (Feb. 7) and The Citadel (Feb. 12). The road-trip concludes with a Valentine’s Day matchup at longtime-rival Western Carolina. There will be little love lost between the two bitter foes, as the Apps have reeled off nine-straight wins against the Catamounts.

February continues at home against College of Charleston (Feb. 16) and on the road at UNCG (Feb. 19) before the February 21 ESPNU BracketBusters game at an opponent to be determined. After BracketBusters weekend, the Mountaineers close out the regular season in Boone against Chattanooga (Feb. 26) and Samford (Feb. 28) before travelling to Chattanooga for the SoCon Championship on March 6-9 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

“We have worked hard to prepare a schedule that should prove to be both entertaining and challenging,” Fancher said.

Click here to view the 2008-09 schedule.