Basketball Announces Non-League Schedule; Pittsburgh & Maryland Among Opponents

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Wednesday, Aug. 17 the school's men's basketball non-conference schedule for the 2011-12 season. Pittsburgh, last year's Big East Conference regular-season champion, and Atlantic Coast Conference member Maryland top the list of opponents. UAlbany plays in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off, beginning with the opening two rounds on Nov. 14-15.

The Great Danes will start their schedule on the road against a Big East Conference team for the third time in the last four years with a matchup at Pittsburgh on Friday, Nov. 11. The Panthers made their 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance last year, advancing to the third round and finishing with a 28-6 record. Head coach Jamie Dixon has an All-Big East guard returning in Ashton Gibbs, who averaged 16.8 points per game. UAlbany travels to the 12,508-seat Petersen Events Center for the second time, having previously played there on Nov. 28, 2003.

UAlbany meets an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent for the fifth time in the last six seasons with a trip to Maryland's Comcast Center, a 17,950-seat facility. The Terrapins, who posted a 19-14 record last year, have a new coach. Mark Turgeon, who previously coached at Texas A&M, has led three Division I programs to a combined 250 wins and five NCAA tournaments. Sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin was a member of the 2011 All-ACC Freshmen Team. The Great Danes previously played ACC members Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Duke and Virginia.

In the NIT Season-Tip-Off, UAlbany faces Ivy League member Brown in the opening round on Monday, Nov. 14 as part of a doubleheader at Syracuse's Carrier Dome. The Orange, who twice has won the NIT Season Tip-Off, tangles with Manhattan, of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, in the other contest. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim led last year's squad to a 27-win campaign and the SU program to the NCAAs for the 34th time.

In the first-ever meeting between the teams, the Great Danes open their home schedule against Navy on Friday, Nov. 25. Former Penn State mentor Ed DeChellis has taken over the reins of the Midshipmen's program. UAlbany returns to SEFCU Arena two days later against Fairleigh Dickinson.

In addition to those two games, UAlbany has home dates against Colgate (Dec. 7) and Dartmouth (Dec. 23). The Great Danes and Colgate, of the Patriot League, are meeting for the second year in a row. The Big Green last traveled to the Capital Region on Dec. 30, 2004.

UAlbany and Siena will continue their crosstown-rivalry on Monday, Dec. 5 at Times Union Center in the 51st meeting. The two teams are tangling for the 11th time as Division I programs. UAlbany also travels to Cornell (Dec. 17), St. Francis, N.Y. (Dec. 19) and Mount St. Mary's (Dec. 31).

UAlbany coach Will Brown returns four starters from last year's squad. Logan Aronhalt and Mike Black, a pair of All-America East Conference guards, each scored in double figures. Luke Devlin, who led the team in rebounding, was voted to the conference all-rookie team. Blake Metcalf, a 6-foot-9 junior, and John Puk, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, bolster the baseline.

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2011-12 UAlbany Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 11 (Fri.), at Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Nov. 14 (Mon.), Brown, Syracuse, N.Y. (NIT Season Tip-Off)
Nov. 15 (Tue.), Syracuse or Manhattan, Syracuse, N.Y. (NIT Season Tip-Off)
Nov. 21-23, Consolation or Championship Rounds (NIT Season Tip-Off)
Nov. 25 (Fri.), Navy, SEFCU Arena
Nov. 27 (Sun.), Fairleigh Dickinson, SEFCU Arena
Dec. 5 (Mon.), at Siena, Albany, N.Y.
Dec. 7 (Wed.), Colgate, SEFCU Arena
Dec. 17 (Sat.), at Cornell, Ithaca, N.Y.
Dec. 19 (Mon.), at St. Francis, N.Y., Brooklyn Heights, N.Y.
Dec. 23 (Fri.), Dartmouth, SEFCU Arena
Dec. 28 (Wed.), at Maryland, College Park, Md.
Dec. 31 (Sat.), at Mount St. Mary's, Emmitsburg, Md.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information