Troy University Athletics
Men’s Basketball Releases 2010-11 Schedule
9/2/2010 2:33:49 PM | Basketball (M)
Highlighted by home games with UAB and Belmont
2010-11 Troy Men's Basketball Schedule
TROY – Primed for a rebuilding year following a Sun Belt Conference regular season title in 2010, the Troy Trojans will face a difficult slate of games on their 2010-11 schedule that was announced by head coach Don Maestri on Thursday.
“From the standpoint of the big competition it's the most challenging schedule we have probably ever had in Division I,” Maestri said. “We have never played three SEC teams in one year. We are playing Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi State. We have more games on the road than we do at home.
“The good news is that next year a bunch of those teams will return those games. In terms of this year's schedule, it makes it more challenging when you have more road games than home games.”
The Trojans will play six of its next seven games on the road following a season opening game at Sartain Hall on November 12 with nearby Huntingdon College.
Troy will hit the road for four straight beginning with Alabama on November 19. The Sun Belt champs will then visit Georgia State on the 19th before flying to San Antonio, Texas the next day to face UT San Antonio on November 22.
After a brief recess for Thanksgiving, the Trojans will visit Mississippi State on the 27th to complete the early road stint.
The UAB Blazers make their second-ever visit to Sartain Hall on November 29, the Blazers defeated Troy 87-66 in the 2008-09 season opener for both clubs.
Following the quick stop at home, Troy heads on the road once more to visit the site of its first road win over an SEC opponent – Arkansas. The Trojans haven't visited Bud Walton Arena since picking up a stunning 74-66 victory during the 2002-03 season.
Troy is 1-2 all-time against the Razorbacks.
A road date with Miami (Ohio) is next on December 11 before the Trojans open Sun Belt play at home against Florida Atlantic on the 16th.
Troy hosts Belmont in one of the highlight home non-conference games of the year on December 18.
“We play Belmont at home and UAB has been a perennial power for the last 30 years,” Maestri said. “Belmont probably has won their league four of the last five years and the word is they may have the best team they have ever had. We have two really good home games against two really top-notch opponents.”
After the showdown with the Bruins, the Trojans will have to regroup quickly; because a cross-country trip awaits them the next day as the squad travels to Logan, Utah to participate in the World Vision Basketball Invitational hosted by Utah State from December 21-23.
“Utah State was an NCAA tournament team and they've got everybody back,” Maestri said. “They are going to be an NCAA tournament team again this year. “
Troy will face the host Aggies along with Western Michigan and Idaho State while in Utah.
An extended holiday break provides some downtime for the Trojans before they jump back into play in the Sun Belt Conference, a league that is expected to be as deep and difficult as ever this year. Troy begins its post-holiday league play with Louisiana-Lafayette on the road on January 6 and at UALR on the 8th.
“The conference has North Texas, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Denver, Arkansas State – all of those teams have three or four starters coming back,” Maestri said. “They are all experienced basketball teams. Then you have your teams that are always going to be talented – Western Kentucky, South Alabama, Louisiana-Lafayette. ULL may have the best team in the league this year, talent-wise. Middle Tennessee, UALR and ULM have been recruiting like crazy.
“There's an outside chance that if one of those teams gets on a roll, we could have an at-large team. The league should be really strong again this year.”
The Trojans host Western Kentucky and a rematch of the 2010 Sun Belt Championship game with North Texas on the opening weekend of home conference play on January 13 and 15.
Troy also faces South Alabama on its home court in January while traveling to Middle Tennessee, WKU and ULM.
February brings Isiah Thomas' FIU squad to Sartain Hall along with the Denver Pioneers, Arkansas State and the home half of the season series with MTSU.
Troy travels to South Alabama on February 10 and closes the season on the road at Florida Atlantic and FIU on February 24 and 26.
Maestri knows his young squad faces a tough trek back to the top of the Sun Belt Conference and another postseason berth.
“When you look at that, especially in a rebuilding year where you lost five starters,” Maestri said. “I'd have to say this is probably the most challenging schedule we've had since we moved up to Division I.”
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