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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Checkers announced today the release of their 2007-08 schedule which includes 28 weekend dates. The announcement was made by Jeff Longo, President of the Checkers, from the team’s office on Tryon Street.
Opening Day for the ECHL’s 20th Anniversary Season will be Oct. 18 when the Johnstown Chiefs host the Wheeling Nailers at Cambria County War Memorial in a rematch of Game 7 from the first-ever ECHL Finals. The Checkers will open the season with back-to-back home games on Friday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 20 vs. Columbia and Texas, respectively.
The Checkers will play 72 games during the regular season spanning from October 19, 2007 to April 4, 2008. The Checkers return to play 36 home games at Charlotte Bobcats Arena and 36 games on the road. The Checkers noted that their schedule is likely to undergo some revisions when the official NBA schedule is released later this summer.
“With the understanding that there will likely be date changes once the NBA schedule is released later this summer, we are excited with the early potential of having 28 weekend dates at home,” said Longo.
Highlighting the Checkers home schedule are 12 Friday games, 14 Saturday games and two Sunday games. Rounding out the schedule are two Tuesday games, two Wednesday games and four Thursday games.
The Checkers will begin their 15th season of play in the ECHL with two home games on opening weekend. The Checkers will host the Columbia Inferno on Friday, Oct. 19 and the Texas Wildcatters on Saturday, Oct. 20.
The Checkers longest homestand spans six games from Jan.12 to Jan. 26 and is immediately followed by the longest streak on the road which is five games from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5. The Checkers schedule includes 10 games vs. Columbia, South Carolina and Augusta; 9 vs. Gwinnett; 7 vs. Pensacola and Texas; 6 vs. Florida; 5 vs. Mississippi; 4 vs. Dayton; 2 vs. Wheeling; 1 vs. Johnstown and Cincinnati.
The Checkers enter their 15th season of play as a member of the ECHL in October 2007. In the team’s 14-year history, the Checkers have made the playoffs 10 times including three-consecutive playoff appearances to date. The Checkers will enter their third season of play at St. Lawrence Homes Home Ice at Charlotte Bobcats Arena this fall. Season tickets are on sale now with full-season packages starting at just $399. The Checkers are accepting deposits on all ticket packages. For season ticket information, please call 704-342-4-ICE or visit www.gocheckers.com.
About ECHL
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that will have 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals.
The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5. The conference and division alignments and the format for the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs will be determined and approved at a later date by the ECHL Board of Governors.
– complete schedule below –
2007-2008 Charlotte Checkers Schedule
(games, dates and opponents subject to change)
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OCTOBER
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(4 games, 2 home, 4 away)
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Friday
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10/19
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COLUMBIA
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Saturday
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10/20
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TEXAS
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Saturday
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10/27
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at Columbia
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Tuesday
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10/30
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at South Carolina
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NOVEMBER
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(12 games, 6 home, 6 away)
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Friday
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11/2
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SOUTH CAROLINA
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Saturday
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11/3
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AUGUSTA
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Sunday
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11/4
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at Gwinnett
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Friday
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11/9
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SOUTH CAROLINA
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Saturday
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11/10
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MISSISSIPPI
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Friday
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11/16 |
at Augusta
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Saturday
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11/17
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GWINNETT
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Wednesday
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11/21
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at South Carolina
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Friday
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11/23
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TEXAS
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Saturday
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11/24 |
at Gwinnett
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Wednesday
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11/28
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at Columbia
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Friday
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11/30
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at Columbia
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DECEMBER
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(12 games, 7 home, 5 away) |
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Saturday
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12/1
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MISSISSIPPI
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| Friday |
12/7
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JOHNSTOWN
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Saturday
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12/8
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GWINNETT
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Friday
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12/14
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at Augusta
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Saturday
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12/15
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COLUMBIA
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Friday
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12/21
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GWINNETT
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Saturday
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12/22
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at South Carolina
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Wednesday
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12/26
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AUGUSTA
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Thursday
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12/27
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at Gwinnett
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Friday
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12/28
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at Columbia
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Sunday
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12/30
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SOUTH CAROLINA
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| Monday |
12/31
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at Augusta
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JANUARY
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(13 games, 7 home, 6 away)
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Friday
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1/4
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at Texas
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Saturday
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1/5
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at Texas
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Tuesday
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1/8
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at Augusta
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Thursday
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1/10
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PENSACOLA
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Friday
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1/11 |
at Columbia
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Saturday
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1/12
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FLORIDA
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Thursday
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1/17
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GWINNETT
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Friday
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1/18
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AUGUSTA
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Saturday
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1/19
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TEXAS
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Friday
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1/25 |
AUGUSTA |
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Saturday
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1/26
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COLUMBIA |
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Tuesday
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1/29 |
at Dayton
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Thursday
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1/31
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at Cincinnati
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FEBRUARY
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(14 games, 6 home, 8 away)
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Friday
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2/1 |
at Dayton
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Saturday
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2/2
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at Wheeling
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Tuesday
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2/5
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at South Carolina
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Friday
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2/8
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PENSACOLA
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Saturday
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2/9
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PENSACOLA
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Sunday
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2/10
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PENSACOLA
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Tuesday
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2/12 |
WHEELING
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Friday
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2/15
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at Florida |
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Saturday
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2/16
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at Florida
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Monday
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2/18
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at Florida
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Friday
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2/22
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SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Saturday |
2/23
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FLORIDA
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Thursday
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2/28
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at Mississippi
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| Friday |
2/29
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at Mississippi
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MARCH
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(14 games, 7 home, 7 away)
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| Saturday |
3/1
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at Mississippi
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Tuesday
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3/4
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GWINNETT
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Wednesday
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3/5
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DAYTON
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Friday
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3/7
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DAYTON
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Saturday
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3/8
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SOUTH CAROLINA |
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Friday
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3/14
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at Pensacola
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Saturday
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3/15
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at Pensacola
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Sunday
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3/16
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at Pensacola |
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Thursday
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3/20
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AUGUSTA
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Friday
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3/21
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COLUMBIA
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Saturday
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3/22
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FLORIDA
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Tuesday
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3/25 |
at South Carolina
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Friday
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3/28
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at Texas
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Saturday
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3/29
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at Texas
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APRIL
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(3 games, 1 home, 2 away)
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Tuesday
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4/1
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at Gwinnett
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Thursday
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4/3
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COLUMBIA
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| Friday |
4/4
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at Augusta
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