University of Albany Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule Includes National Champion North Carolina And Syracuse - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Lee McElroy announced on Monday, Aug. 10 the school's men's basketball non-conference schedule for the 2009-10 season. The list of opponents includes defending national champion North Carolina and Big East Conference member Syracuse. UAlbany will also host the 2K Sports Classic, benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer, Sub-Regional on November 20-22.
The Great Danes faces North Carolina at the Dean E. Smith Center, the fifth-largest college basketball facility with 21,750 seats, in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Wednesday, Dec. 30. The Tar Heels won their fifth NCAA championship last April with an 89-72 win against Michigan State. Deon Thompson, a 6'8" senior, returns for the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season champions. UAlbany will be playing a defending national champion for the second consecutive year.
UAlbany opens its schedule on Tuesday, Nov. 10 against Syracuse, a squad that posted a 28-10 record and reached the NCAA regional semifinals last season. The Great Danes' first meeting with Syracuse since December 2004 is part of the 2K Sports Classic. The opener will be played at the 33,000-seat Carrier Dome and televised by ESPNU. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who led the program to the 2003 national title, has a 799-288 career record. In a continuation of the 2K Sports Classic, UAlbany will host Alcorn State, Robert Morris and Detroit in a sub-regional at SEFCU Arena ten days later.
Morgan State, one of six opponents to play in last year's NCAA Tournament, travels to the Capital Region for the Great Danes' home opener on Friday, Nov. 13. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions are coming off their first-ever NCAA appearance. Ivy League member Yale will also come to SEFCU Arena on Sunday, Jan. 3.
The Great Danes will tangle with Siena in the crosstown-rivalry's 49th meeting on Saturday, Dec. 5 at Times Union Center. In addition, UAlbany makes a two-game swing to the Sunshine State in late November to play first-time opponents Central Florida and Florida Atlantic. UAlbany also meets American, Pennsylvania, Iona, Loyola (Chicago) and Central Connecticut State in non-league road games.
UAlbany returns a pair of third-team All-America East Conference players in Tim Ambrose and Will Harris. Ambrose averaged 14.3 points which ranked ninth among the league leaders. Harris, a 6-foot-6 senior, accounted for 12.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
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2009-10 University at Albany Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Date, Day, Opponent, Site
Nov. 10, Tuesday, at Syracuse, Syracuse, N.Y.
Nov. 13, Friday, Morgan State, SEFCU Arena
Nov. 16, Monday, at American, Washington, D.C.
Nov. 20, Friday, 2K Sports Classic, SEFCU Arena
Nov. 21, Saturday, 2K Sports Classic, SEFCU Arena
Nov. 22, Sunday, 2K Sports Classic, SEFCU Arena
Nov. 28, Saturday, at Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.
Nov. 30, Monday, at Florida Atlantic, Boca Raton, Fla.
Dec. 5, Saturday, at Siena, Albany, N.Y.
Dec. 8, Tuesday, at Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.
Dec. 12, Saturday, at Central Connecticut State, New Britain, Conn.
Dec. 17, Thursday, at Iona, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Dec. 22, Tuesday, at Loyola (Chicago), Chicago, Ill.
Dec. 30, Wednesday, at North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Jan. 3, Sunday, Yale, SEFCU Arena