Wednesday, October 23, 2013

UDC Men's Basketball Announces 2013-14 Schedule

Quasim Jones returns to run point for the UDC Firebirds 

From our friends at UDC Athletics...

University of the District of Columbia 2013-14 Men’s Basketball Schedule Announced

The Mike Riley era will begin on November 10th when the Firebirds host the reigning East Region Champion Franklin Pierce, as the University of the District of Columbia men's basketball 2013-14 schedule was announced on Friday, October 18th.

UDC, which stumbled to a 6-20 mark in 2012-13 after earning its first NCAA Tournament berth in 25 years the previous season, will play six challenging non-conference games in addition to a 20-game East Coast Conference schedule under its first-year head coach.

The Firebirds tip off the season at home on Sunday, November 10th at 3:30 p.m. against the vaunted Northeast-10 power Ravens, who advanced to last year's NCAA Division II Elite 8. Then, after a six-day rest, they host another 2012-13 NCAA Tournament qualifier, East Stroudsburg. The Warriors, of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, finished 22-7 last season.

On November 20th, UDC hosts the third game of its three-game home stand to start the season against the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Alderson Broaddus. The Battlers were 20-9  and WVIAC Tournament semifinalists last season. This game will be part of UDC's Homecoming Week events.

The road to the East Coast Conference Championship begins on November 23rd when the Firebirds visit St. Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill, NY. Then, following a Thanksgiving break, UDC has a rematch with Alderson-Broaddus on the road at Philippi, WV on December 4th.

LIU Post then comes to town on December 7th for an ECC battle followed by a showdown at cross-town rival Bowie State on December 11th. The Firebirds close out the 2013 calendar year with two ECC contests vs. Mercy (December 14th) and NYIT (December 18th).

Following the winter holiday break, the Firebirds host Apprentice School for their final non-conference game of the season on January 4th. The next weekend (January 10th and 12th) they visit the ECC's two newest members, Roberts Wesleyan and Daemen, on a Friday and Sunday.

January 15th starts a three-game home stand as UDC hosts ECC foes Molloy, Queens (January 18th) and defending ECC champion Bridgeport (January 22nd). Then it is back on the road for ECC games at Dowling (January 25th) and Mercy (January 30th).

The Firebirds remaining schedule is as follows: February 1st vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, February 6th at LIU Post, February 8th at NYIT, February 14th vs. Daemen, February 16th vs. Roberts Wesleyan, February 19th at Queens, February 22nd at Molloy, February 26th vs. Dowling and March 1st at Bridgeport.