Sept. 9, 2008
NORFOLK, VA-- The 2008-09 Old Dominion University men's basketball schedule will featurenon-conference home games against three teams who competed in post-season play last yearas well as an ESPN Bracketbusters game and nine home CAA games.
" We have a nice slate of games," said ODU head coach Blaine Taylor. "It's a night-after-night challenge for a team that will never use youth as an excuse, but does have a younger identity. Two things that jump out at me are the number of early road games and the number of teams in the first part of our schedule who actually beat us the last time we played them," said Taylor. "As always, you hope that as you build in November and December, you have prepared yourself for what I believe will be as balanced and competitive a CAA race as you have seen in recent years."
The Monarchs will host UAB in its home opener on Nov. 22. The Blazers won 23 games last yearand reached the second round of the NIT. The Monarchs will host Big South Champion Winthropon Dec. 20. The Eagles won 22 games last year and have reached the NCAA Tournament each ofthe last four years. Richmond, who participated in the CBI Tournament, comes to the Constant Center on Dec. 3rd.
The ESPN Bracketbusters game is scheduled for Saturday Feb. 21 with the Monarchs hosting agame. The opponent will be named at a later date.
ODU will also host non-conference games against North Carolina Central on Dec. 14, Maryland-Eastern Shore on Dec. 22 and Winston-Salem State on Dec. 30.
The Monarchs will travel to Charlotte on Nov. 16, for the regular season opener, Bucknell on Nov. 25 and Marshall on Nov. 29. ODU and Charlotte last played in 2003-04. The 49ers, members of the Atlantic-10 played in the NIT last year. Bucknell is a rematch from last year's Bracketbusters game and will be the first meeting between ODU and Conference USA member Marshall since 1976-77. ODU will play inPittsburgh, PA. against Duquesne on Dec. 17, which will be the first meeting since 1987-88.
The Monarchs will play an 18-game CAA schedule, opening at home on Dec. 6 against the University ofDelaware. ODU will also play James Madison, Georgia State, UNC Wilmington, Northeastern, GeorgeMason, Towson, VCU and William and Mary at home.
CAA road games will consist of Georgia State, William and Mary, George Mason, VCU, James Madison, Drexel, Hofstra, UNC Wilmington and Northeastern.
The CAA Championships will again be held at the Richmond Coliseum, March 6-9 with the winnerearning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Monarchs will host exhibition games against Chowan on Nov. 4 and Virginia State on Nov. 8 in the Constant Center, while the Blue-White exhibition is Oct. 26th at 3 p.m, in a doubleheader with the LadyMonarchs.
The Monarchs, have won 94 games the last four years, most in the State of Virginia, and 111 games the past five years, return seven lettermen along with four players with 16 or more starts. Last year, ODU advanced to the quarterfinals of the inaugural College Basketball Invitational. Heading ODU's returnees are Gerald Lee (6-10, Jr, C-F, 12.9 ppg./5.8 rpg.), a second team All-CAA selection last season. Lee scored 20 points with eight rebounds against then sixth ranked Louisville and 24 points with 12 boards against then fifth ranked Georgetown. Also returning with at least 16 or more starts are Ben Finney (6-5, So., F, 7.0 ppg, 5.0), Darius James (6-1, So, G, 7.0 ppg., 2.2 apg.), and Frank Hassell (6-8,RS-So, 5.3 ppg./ 4.9 rpg.).
The Monarchs will be counting heavily on Jonathan Adams (6-6, Sr.,F, 6.0 ppg/ 4.1 rpg) along with Marsharee Neely (6-2, Jr,G, 3.0 ppg), Keyon Carter (6-8, F, RS-So, F, 2.0 ppg), and redshirts Kent Bazemore (6-5, Fr, G-F, Kelford, NC./Bertie HS), and Etoile Imama (6-3, Fr, G, Montreal, Canada/ Champlain St. Lambert HS).
Taylor and his staff brought in another outstanding recruiting class which includes: freshmen Chris Cooper (6-9, Fr, C, Woodbridge, VA./Forest Park HS), Trian Iliadis (6-3, Fr., G,Perth, Australia), Nick Wright (6-8, Fr, F, Suffolk, VA./Nansemond River HS) and Marquel De Lancey (6-0, Fr, G, Alexandria, VA., Mt. Vernon HS). The Monarchs averaged over 7,100 in attendance for the regular season which is the largest since the Constant Center opened in 2002-03, and led the CAA. For season tickets call 683-4444.
2008-09 OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITYMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULESun. Oct. 26Blue-White scrimmageTues. Nov. 4CHOWAN (Exhibition)Sat.Nov. 8VIRGINIA STATE (Exhibition)Sun.Nov. 16at CharlotteSat.Nov. 22UABTues.Nov. 25at BucknellSat. Nov. 29at MarshallWed.Dec. 3RICHMONDSat.Dec. 6DELAWARE*Sun. Dec. 14NORTH CAROLINA CENTRALTues.Dec. 17at DuquesneSat. Dec. 20WINTHROPMon.Dec. 22MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORETues.Dec. 30WINSTON-SALEM STATESat.Jan. 3at Georgia State*Mon.Jan. 5at William & Mary*Wed.Jan. 7JAMES MADISON*Sat.Jan. 10at George Mason*Wed.Jan. 14GEORGIA STATE*Sat.Jan. 17at VCU*Wed.Jan. 21UNC Wilmington*Sat.Jan. 24NORTHEASTERN*Wed. Jan. 28at James Madison*Sat.Jan.31GEORGE MASON*Wed.Feb. 4TOWSON*Sat.Feb. 7at Drexel*Wed.Feb. 11at Hofstra*Sat. Feb. 14VCU*Wed.Feb. 18at UNCW*Sat. Feb. 21ESPN BRACKETBUSTER(Home)Wed.Feb. 25WILLIAM & MARY*Sat.Feb. 28at Northeastern*CAA Tournament March 6-9 at Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA.Notes: Dates subject to change