KUTZTOWN, PA (August 3, 2010) – The Kutztown University men's basketball team will take on NCAA Division I opponent and 2010 Big East regular season champion Syracuse University in an exhibition contest on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at the Carrier Dome beginning at 7 p.m. The contest will not count towards KU's 2010-11 overall record.
This is the second consecutive year that the Golden Bears will face a Big East school in an exhibition contest. Last season, Kutztown battled Villanova at the Wachovia Center.
Syracuse has made 27 trips into the NCAA Tournament, including Final Four appearances in 1987, 1996 and 2003. The Orange won the NCAA championship in 2003. Overall, the Orange has posted 32 20-win seasons. Kutztown has made three trips to the NCAA Division II tournament, including consecutive appearances.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our program and University,” Kutztown University head men's basketball coach Bernie Driscoll said. “It should be a great experience for our young men. We are excited about the upcoming season and looking forward to competing against one of the best programs in America. Jim Boeheim and his staff have done a tremendous job of running a first-class basketball operation. We are grateful that coach Boeheim has given us this chance.”
Kutztown is coming off of another terrific season in which it finished with a 23-8 overall record, the second consecutive year it won 20 or more games. The Golden Bears also participated in the 2010 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region tournament and advanced to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship game for the second straight season.
Among some of the key returnees from last year's team are senior guard Julius Gray, senior guard Steve Coffey and senior forward Tamir Johnson. Gray, a second team all-PSAC East selection last year, is Kutztown's leading returning scorer. He averaged 13.8 points per game and made a team-high 72 3-pointers. Johnson averaged 9.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He also posted eight double-doubles.
In last year's exhibition against Villanova, Gray lit up the Wachovia Center by scoring a team-high 23 points. Coffey scored seven points and Johnson finished with five points and six rebounds.
“I am excited to play in the Carrier Dome against a great team,” Gray said. “It will be a great experience for some the young guys on the team. It should be a interesting game. As a program, we're fortunate to have the chance to play against a major Division I opponent. No matter what happens, I will remember the experience.”
Meanwhile, Syracuse lost in the Sweet 16 as a No. 1 seed to NCAA runner-up Butler University, 63-59. The Orange posted a 30-5 record last season. Among some of the key returnees for Syracuse in 2010-11 are Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, Brandon Triche and Rick Jackson. Syracuse also has a solid recruiting class, led by Fab Melo, Dion Waiters and C.J. Fair.
The complete 2010-11 KU men's basketball schedule will be released at a later date. CLICK HERE for updated ticket information.
