Aug. 31, 2011
2011-12 Non-Conference Schedule
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist Athletics Department announced the non-conference schedule for the men's basketball team on Wednesday. Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Chuck Martin the Red Foxes will compete in 12 non-conference games during their 2011-12 campaign. Their 12 games include opponents from the SEC and Big East.
"We're really excited with the non-conference schedule that we put together this year; the opportunity to compete against such high-level competition is outstanding for our program" said Head Coach Chuck Martin. "Starting with the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament and going through to the BracketBuster matchup, this is a strong schedule that will test us. We may have the opportunity to face four opponents who played in the postseason last year in Kentucky, Vermont, Long Island and Bucknell."
The Red Foxes kick off their season with a trip to Lexington, Ky. to face off with seven-time NCAA Champion and 2011 Final Four participant Kentucky on Friday, Nov. 11. The Wildcats are the first NCAA program to reach 2000 wins. This is the first of four games that Marist will compete in as part of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. This will be Marist and Kentucky's first-ever meeting on the hardwood.
In the second game of the tournament, the Red Foxes will travel down to St. Petersburg, Fla. to take on South Florida of the Big East Conference on Monday, Nov. 14. The Bulls are coming off of a 10-23 season, but return a veteran roster with four of their top five scorers back, including Maryland transfer Augustus Gilchrist.
The Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament concludes on the weekend of the Nov. 19 with two games at Mohegan Sun. The first game on Nov. 19 is predetermined as Marist will meet Vermont. Led by first-year head coach John Becker, the Catamounts will look to reach the postseason again following NCAA and NIT berths in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The second game on Nov. 20 we see the Red Foxes face either Long Island University, the reigning NEC champions, or Radford of the Big South Conference.
Marist's home opener in the newly-renovated McCann Arena will be on Tuesday, Nov. 22 versus Bucknell. The Bison will come to Poughkeepsie with three of their top five scorers returning, including Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Muscala, from their 2011 NCAA tournament appearing team.
The Red Foxes will also welcome two more Patriot League teams, Colgate and Army, to the McCann Arena on Nov. 26 and Dec. 7. Coming off of a 7-23 record last season, Colgate enters this season with a new coach at the helm in Matt Langel. Like the Raiders, Army returns four of their five top scorers. The Hudson Valley rivals will be meeting for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
Following a 10-day break for final exams, the Red Foxes return to non-conference play with an away game at the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, Dec. 17. The Wildcats of the America East Conference went 12-18 overall in 2010-11 with a 7-5 home record. The teams will meet in a return game from last year's BracketBuster game, which Marist hosted and won 58-49.
Four days later on Wednesday, Dec. 21 Marist will host Hartford. The Hawks are coming off of a 2010-11 season where they posted an 11-20 record.
The team closes the 2011 portion of their non-conference slate with two games versus Ivy League opponents in Penn and Columbia. Marist heads to a historic venue, The Palestra on Friday, Dec. 23 in a return game of last season's matchup with the Quakers, which Marist won at home by a score of 66-57. Penn returns three of their top five scorers from 2010-11, as does Columbia. On Wednesday, Dec. 28 the Red Foxes host the Lions, who finished last season with a 15-13 mark.
Marist's final non-conference game will be on the weekend of Feb. 17, as the Red Foxes will participate in a road Bracketbuster matchup versus a similarly RPI rated program.
2011-12 Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 11 at Kentucky* Hall of Fame Tip-Off
Nov. 14 at South Florida* Hall of Fame Tip-Off
Nov. 19 vs. Vermont (at Mohegan Sun)* Hall of Fame Tip-Off
Nov. 20 vs. TBD-Long Island/Radford (at Mohegan Sun)* Hall of Fame Tip-Off
Nov. 22 BUCKNELL
Nov. 26 COLGATE
Dec. 7 ARMY
Dec. 17 at New Hampshire
Dec. 21 HARTFORD
Dec. 23 at Penn
Dec. 28 COLUMBIA
Feb. 17-19 at TBD - BracketBusters