ODU men's hoops schedule has 6 from NCAA tourney

Posted to: College Basketball, Men Norfolk Sports
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From ED MILLER'S ODU HOOPS BLOG

ODU 2011-12 schedule

Oct. 29 Blue-White exhibition
Nov. 1 vs. Barton (exhibition)
Nov. 4 vs. Elizabeth City State (exhibition)
Nov. 12 vs. Northern Iowa
Nov. 14 vs. Long Island
Nov. 16 vs. Howard
Nov. 19 vs. South Florida#
Nov. 20 vs. Kentucky/Penn State#
Nov. 23 vs. Vermont
Nov. 29 vs. East Carolina
Dec. 3 at Northeastern*
Dec. 8/9 at Fairfield
Dec. 17 at Central Florida
Dec. 20 at Richmond
Dec. 22 vs. VMI
Dec. 30 vs. Missouri
Jan. 2 at James Madison*
Jan. 4 vs. George Mason*
Jan. 7 vs. Towson*
Jan. 11 at Delaware*
Jan. 14 vs. Hofstra*
Jan. 18 at Towson*
Jan. 21 at Virginia Commonwealth*
Jan. 23 vs. Northeastern*
Jan. 25 at UNC Wilmington*
Jan. 28 vs. William and Mary*
Feb. 1 vs. James Madison*
Feb. 4 at George Mason*
Feb. 8 at William and Mary*
Feb. 11 vs. Virginia Commonwealth*
Feb. 14 UNC Wilmington*
Feb. 18 at Bracketbuster
Feb. 22 at Georgia State*
Feb. 25 Drexel*
March 2-5 at CAA tournament in Richmond

* CAA games
# Hall of Fame Classic

By Ed Miller
The Virginian-Pilot
© September 8, 2011

NORFOLK

A veteran Old Dominion men's basketball team played a rigorous nonconference schedule last season, earning national respect and a No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament.

A team that won't be as experienced in 2011-12 is playing a slate that looks every bit as ambitious.

The Monarchs will face six teams that reached the NCAA tournament last season, and several more that participated in postseason play.

"People probably would have thought we were going to take a step backwards, schedule-wise," coach Blaine Taylor said. "We didn't do that.

"We've got our work cut out, but it'll make us grow."

ODU lost four seniors from last year's team, and will be without its best player, Kent Bazemore, until early December. Bazemore had surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot last month.

The Monarchs, who finished 27-7 last season, falling to NCAA runner-up Butler in the round of 64, open Nov. 12 at home against Northern Iowa. A week later, they'll face South Florida in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament in Connecticut. ODU will play either Penn State, a 2011 NCAA team, or Kentucky, a Final Four participant, the next day.

Other non-conference opponents that made the NCAA field are Richmond, Missouri and Long Island. ODU also travels to Fairfield, which finished 25-8 last year, and Central Florida, which went 21-12.

The Colonial Athletic Association schedule features home-and-home games against state rivals Virginia Commonwealth, James Madison, George Mason and William and Mary. VCU reached the Final Four in 2011 and GMU advanced to the second round.

"This schedule's going to serve us in a lot of ways," Taylor said. "We're going to have to grow up on the job."

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George Mason/VCU

Submitted by ODU83ALUMNI on Thu, 09/08/2011 at 3:05 pm.

I could care less about wanting to be a VCU or George Mason. We beat both of them regularly. I love my college basketball team. Go ODU. I like a tough schedule.

ODU Style

Submitted by Benthere37 on Thu, 09/08/2011 at 2:07 pm.

Scuse me. Who was it that took out VCU at home last year? Who was it that took out VCU in the CAA tournament. ODU does not play street ball or use hot shot thugs to win games. They use the T E A M method. Far more entertaining brand of ball than VCU has ever played. Go Monarchs.

Monarch Ways!

Submitted by ipatt77 on Thu, 09/08/2011 at 1:19 pm.

I hope they employ a more attractive style sooner or later, they win but they'll never be VCU or George Mason until they can find someone who is a serious threat to create his own offense. Until then they'll be perennial first round loosers every year!

ummmmm

Submitted by Benthere37 on Thu, 09/08/2011 at 7:08 am.

Splain Blaine

Huh?

Submitted by Benthere37 on Wed, 09/07/2011 at 2:13 pm.

Perhaps it is the reliable typo by the VP, but if not, could you splain this statement Lucy?

"As we do traditionally, a very challenging slate of games awaits our players, programs and followers, many 20-game winners, which will pose a challenge many experiences," coach Blaine Taylor said in a news release.