UAlbany Announces Men's & Women's Basketball Schedules; Big Purple Growl on Feb. 6th

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Lee McElroy announced on Wednesday, Oct. 14 the school's men's and women's basketball schedules for the 2009-10 season. The America East Conference has released the entire league slate for all nine member institutions.

The men's conference schedule begins on Thursday, Jan. 7 against Binghamton at SEFCU Arena. The season concludes with the America East Conference Tournament at the University at Hartford's Chase Family Arena on March 4, 6, 7 and 13.

The Great Danes, who have posted 15 or more wins in four consecutive seasons, open their schedule on Monday, Nov. 9 against Syracuse. UAlbany's first meeting with the Orange since December 2004 is part of the 2K Sports Classic, benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. The opener will be televised by ESPNU. UAlbany will be playing a defending national champion for the second consecutive year when the Great Danes travel to North Carolina on Dec. 30. The matchup with the Tar Heels, who won their fifth national championship last year, will also air on ESPNU.

In a continuation of the 2K Sports Classic, SEFCU Arena will host one of two sub-regionals on Nov. 20-22. Robert Morris, Detroit and Alcorn State will participate. Big Purple Growl, the University's Winter Homecoming, takes place on Saturday, Feb. 6. The Great Danes meets Boston University. Morgan State, one of six opponents to play in last year's NCAA Tournament, comes to the Capital Region for the home opener on Friday, Nov. 13. Ivy League member Yale is the final non-league opponent on Sunday, Jan. 3.

The America East TV package and the Time Warner Cable broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.

The UAlbany women begin a 16-game America East schedule on Sunday, Jan. 10 at Vermont. The Great Danes are paired with UMBC in their first conference home date on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 7:00 p.m. Hartford's Chase Arena is hosting the America East Conference Tournament on March 4-14. The conference is playing both the men's and women's postseason basketball championships at the same venue for the first time.

Nebraska and Canisius, a pair of Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) participants, are among 13 non-conference opponents. UAlbany faces the Cornhuskers, who advanced to NCAA play in 2007 and 2008, on Dec. 30. The Great Danes visit Canisius, the runner-up squad in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, on Dec. 2. After opening with two road games, UAlbany meets St. Francis, N.Y. in its home opener on Monday, Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m. Atlantic 10 Conference member Rhode Island will also visit SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes also renew their rivalry with Siena in the first half of a doubleheader with the schools' men's programs on Saturday, Dec. 5.

UAlbany tangles with Vermont in the first game of the Big Purple Growl doubleheader on Feb. 6. In addition to conference opposition, Cornell, Wagner, Army and Fairfield are on the home schedule.

2009-10 MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Nov. 9 (Mon.) at Syracuse (ESPNU) 9:00
Nov. 13 (Fri.) Morgan State 7:00
Nov. 16 (Mon.) at American 7:30
Nov. 20 (Fri.) Alcorn State 7:30
Nov. 21 (Sat.) Detroit 7:00
Nov. 22 (Sun.) Robert Morris 5:00
Nov. 28 (Sat.) at Central Florida 5:00
Nov. 30 (Mon.) at Florida Atlantic 7:00
Dec. 5 (Sat.) at Siena 7:30
Dec. 8 (Tue.) at Pennsylvania 7:00
Dec. 12 (Sat.) at Central Connecticut State 2:00
Dec. 17 (Thu.) at Iona 7:30
Dec. 22 (Tue.) at Loyola (Chicago) 8:00
Dec. 30 (Wed.) at North Carolina (ESPNU) 7:00
Jan. 3 (Sun.) Yale 4:00
Jan. 7 (Thu.) Binghamton* 7:00
Jan. 10 (Sun.) Vermont* 4:00
Jan. 13 (Wed.) at New Hampshire* 7:00
Jan. 16 (Sat.) UMBC* 7:00
Jan. 19 (Tue.) at Boston U.* 7:00
Jan. 21 (Thu.) Maine* 7:00
Jan. 24 (Sun.) at Stony Brook* 2:00
Jan. 27 (Wed.) Hartford* 7:00
Jan. 30 (Sat.) at Vermont* 2:00
Feb. 3 (Wed.) at Binghamton* 7:00
Feb. 6 (Sat.) Boston U.*+ 7:00
Feb. 9 (Tue.) New Hampshire* 7:00
Feb. 13 (Sat.) at UMBC* 7:00
Feb. 19 (Fri.) Stony Brook* 7:00
Feb. 24 (Wed.) at Maine* TBA
Feb. 28 (Sun.) at Hartford* 2:00

*America East Conference Opponent
+Big Purple Growl

2009-10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Nov. 13 (Fri.) at Fordham 6:00
Nov. 19 (Thu.) at New Jersey Tech 7:00
Nov. 23 (Mon.) St. Francis, N.Y. 7:00
Nov. 25 (Wed.) at Hofstra 7:00
Nov. 29 (Sun.) Cornell 2:00
Dec. 2 (Wed.) at Canisius 7:00
Dec. 5 (Sat.) at Siena 5:00
Dec. 12 (Sat.) Wagner 2:00
Dec. 19 (Sat.) Army 2:00
Dec. 23 (Wed.) Fairfield 5:00
Dec. 30 (Wed.) at Nebraska 8:00
Jan. 2 (Sat.) Rhode Island 2:00
Jan. 6 (Wed.) at Brown 7:00
Jan. 10 (Sun.) at Vermont* 2:00
Jan. 13 (Wed.) UMBC* 7:00
Jan. 16 (Sat.) at Boston U.* 2:00
Jan. 19 (Tue.) at Stony Brook* 7:00
Jan. 22 (Fri.) New Hampshire* 7:00
Jan. 24 (Sun.) at Hartford* 2:00
Jan. 28 (Thu.) Maine* 7:00
Jan. 30 (Sat.) at Binghamton* 2:00
Feb. 6 (Sat.) Vermont*+ 4:30
Feb. 10 (Wed.) Stony Brook* 7:00
Feb. 13 (Sat.) Boston U.* 2:00
Feb. 15 (Mon.) Binghamton* 7:00
Feb. 18 (Thu.) at UMBC* 7:00
Feb. 21 (Sun.) at New Hampshire* 1:00
Feb. 24 (Wed.) Hartford* 7:00
Feb. 27 (Sat.) at Maine* TBA

*America East Conference Opponent
+Big Purple Growl


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information