UAlbany Unveils Men's Basketball Schedule for 2008-09, Big Purple Growl on Feb. 7th

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Lee McElroy announced on Thursday, Oct. 2 the school's men's and women's basketball schedules for the 2008-09 season. The America East Conference has released the entire league slate for all nine member institutions.

The men's conference schedule begins on Saturday, Jan. 3 against Hartford at Chase Family Arena. The season concludes with the America East Conference Tournament on March 6, 7, 8 and 14. UAlbany's SEFCU Arena will host the first round, quarterfinals and semifinals for the first time.

The Great Danes, who finished in the upper echelon of the conference standings for the third consecutive year, open their schedule on the road with a pair of Big East Conference teams in Villanova (Nov. 14) and DePaul (Nov. 17). Villanova has made three regional semifinals and one Elite Eight appearance the last four years. UAlbany's non-conference schedule features Kansas, a program that won last year's national title in a memorable overtime battle with Memphis. The contest will be televised nationally on ESPNU. Pennsylvania is among four non-league opponents which will play at SEFCU Arena. The Quakers have made 23 NCAA appearances in their storied history. The Great Danes also host Central Connecticut State (Nov. 22), Bryant (Dec. 1) and Canisius (Dec. 13). UAlbany squares off with Siena in the crosstown-rivalry's 48th meeting on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The Great Danes are expected to appear several times on the America East TV package, including a possible date with defending conference champion UMBC on Sunday, March 1 to finish off the regular season. Time Warner Cable is tentatively scheduled to air six home games, highlighted by the Big Purple Growl contest with Vermont on Saturday, Feb. 7.


The UAlbany women's program has a 16-game America East schedule that starts on Saturday, Jan. 10 at Binghamton. The Great Danes meet Maine in their first conference home game on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7:00 p.m. The season ends with the America East Conference Tournament on March 12-15 at the University of Hartford's Chase Family Arena.

UAlbany begins play on the road on Friday, Nov. 14 against California, a program that has advanced to a school-record three consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The home opener against Richmond is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22 at 2:00 p.m. The non-league slate includes an appearance in Texas-Pan American's Battle at the Border Classic on Dec. 28-29. UAlbany meets non-conference opponents Virginia Commonwealth (Nov. 29), Detroit (Dec. 1) and New Jersey Tech (Dec. 9) at SEFCU Arena. The VCU Rams reached to the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) one year ago. UAlbany has away dates with NCAA participants Marist (Nov. 16) and Cornell (Nov. 19).

The Great Danes, who won a school-record 10 conference games, tied for for fourth in the America East standings and reached the postseason tournament's semifinal round in 2007-08. UAlbany tangles with Binghamton in the first half of the Big Purple Growl doubleheader, the University's Winter Homecoming, on Feb. 7. The game is scheduled to be televised by Time Warner Cable in the Capital Region.

2008-09 Men’s Basketball Schdule

Nov. 14 (Fri.) at Villanova 8:00
Nov. 17 (Sat.) at DePaul 8:30
Nov. 19 (Wed.) at Bryant 7:00
Nov. 22 (Sat.) Central Connecticut State 7:00
Nov. 25 (Tue.) at Columbia 7:00
Nov. 29 (Sat.) Pennsylvania 7:00
Dec. 1 (Mon.) Bryant 7:00
Dec. 6 (Sat.) at Siena 7:00
Dec. 8 (Mon.) at Lehigh 7:00
Dec. 13 (Sat.) Canisius 7:00
Dec. 19 (Fri.) at Sacred Heart 7:00
Dec. 22 (Mon.) at St. Francis, N.Y. 7:00
Dec. 30 (Tue.) at Kansas 9:00
Jan. 3 (Sat.) at Hartford* 7:00
Jan. 8 (Thu.) Boston U.* 7:00
Jan. 11 (Sun.) at Vermont* 1:00
Jan. 14 (Wed.) Binghamton* 7:00
Jan. 17 (Sat.) at Maine* TBA
Jan. 23 (Fri.) Stony Brook* 7:00
Jan. 25 (Sun.) UMBC* TBA
Jan. 28 (Wed.) Hartford* 7:00
Feb. 5 (Thu.) at Boston U.* 7:00
Feb. 7 (Sat.) Vermont* (BPG) 7:00
Feb. 9 (Mon.) at Binghamton* 7:00
Feb. 12 (Thu.) at Stony Brook* 7:00
Feb. 15 (Sun.) New Hampshire* 2:00
Feb. 22 (Sun.) Maine* 2:00
Feb. 26 (Thu.) at New Hampshire* 7:00
Mar. 1 (Sun.) at UMBC* TBA

*America East Conference Opponent
BPG - Big Purple Growl

ALL TIMES EASTERN