Basketball Preview

The 2010-11 men’s basketball schedule will feature five non-conference teams that competed in last year’s NCAA tournament and the defending NIT champion.

“Coach [Blaine] Taylor and his staff have again constructed an outstanding non-conference schedule that should challenge our talented team while also allowing us to make a favorable impression on the men’s basketball committee come Selection Sunday,” said new athletic director Wood Selig.

Taylor is just 11 wins away from becoming ODU’s all-time winningest coach (188-103 in nine years).

The defending CAA champion Monarchs, who reached the second round of the 2010 NCAA tournament, will host Georgetown, Richmond and NIT champion Dayton.

ODU returns five key players from last year’s squad, which went 27-9: seniors Ben Finney, Darius James, Frank Hassell and Keyon Carter, and junior All-CAA selection Kent Bazemore. The Monarchs will also be counting heavily on returnees Marquel DeLancey, Chris Cooper and Trian Iliadis, and redshirt sophomore Nick Wright.

The women’s slate includes home matchups against perennial power Tennessee and ACC foe Georgia Tech, and road trips to N.C. State and to New Orleans for the Tulane Tournament.

“One of the hallmarks of our women’s basketball program has been a non-conference schedule that is among the strongest in the country,” said Selig. “This year is certainly no exception.”

Notes coach Wendy Larry, “We will be extremely challenged in our non-conference schedule with the intent of being very prepared for our outstanding Colonial Athletic Association opponents come January.”

The defending CAA regular season champion Lady Monarchs reached the second round of the WNIT last season.

Among the returnees this year are seniors Jasmine Parker, Shadasia Green, Kquanise Byrd and Alena Voronina; juniors Tia Lewis and Mairi Buchan; and sophomore Jackie Cook.