University of Massachusets Athletics
2002-03 Men's Basketball Schedule Released
September 13, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Sept. 13, 2002
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AMHERST, Mass. -- The University of Massachusetts men's basketball team could play as many as 16 games against teams which participated in postseason play a year ago, according to the schedule released today by UMass Athletic Director Ian McCaw and Head Coach Steve Lappas.
"This will be a very challenging schedule for our team, but I like it," the second-year Minuteman bench boss said. "We're going to have a young team, but we've designed this schedule to prepare us for the Atlantic 10 season. We'll be tested early and often, which is good."
Lappas' squad, which returns three starters and three other letterwinner's from last year's team, opens the season with a pair of exhibition games before travelling to Lahaina, Hawaii, for the prestigious EA Sports Maui Invitational, Nov. 25-27. UMass will face 2002 NCAA runner-up Indiana in a first-round game, Monday, Nov. 25, then will either play Utah or Gonzaga in round two, Nov. 26. Kentucky, Arizona State, Virginia or Chaminade will be the Minuteman foe in the third game, Nov. 27.
After Maui, Massachusetts returns to the mainland for three straight games against 2002 NCAA Tournament entrants, as it plays Central Connecticut State on Dec. 2 at the Mohegan Sun Arena, hosts Boston College in the Commonwealth Classic, Dec. 7, and plays Connecticut, Dec. 10, at Hartford.
Following a Dec. 14 home game against Florida International, the Minutemen will host Lafayette in a Dec. 21 game that will be played at the Springfield Civic Center. It will mark the third consecutive year UMass has played a game in Springfield. The Minutemen then return to the Mullins Center for games against Rider (Dec. 23), Marshall (Dec. 28) and 2002 NCAA Tournament participant North Carolina State (Jan. 2), before opening A-10 play at East Division rival Fordham, Jan. 5.
UMass steps out of conference play to face Columbia in Amherst, Jan. 9, then after a Jan. 11 game at Saint Joseph's, plays its A-10 home opener Jan. 15 against Rhode Island. Massachusetts will also break from league play for a Feb. 5 game at Southeastern Conference power Tennessee in the first-ever meeting between the schools. The Volunteers will return the game to Amherst in 2003-04.
The 2003 Atlantic 10 Tournament will play opening round games at campus sites, March 10, then move to Dayton, Ohio, for the final three rounds, March 13-15.
Schedule Notes: The RPI Report listed UMass' 2001-02 slate as the nation's 49th-toughest, marking the 10th time in the last 11 years the Minutemen ranked among the nation's top 50 in schedule strength...2002 NCAA Tournament entrants on the Massachusetts schedule include Boston College, Central Connecticut State, UConn, Gonzaga, Indiana, Kentucky, Utah, North Carolina State and Xavier, while 2002 NIT participants on the slate include Arizona State, Dayton, Richmond, St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's, Temple and Virginia...Massachusetts could face as many as 20 opponents which finished the season with a .500 or better record a year ago, and as many as 21 foes which ranked from 1-150 in the final 2001-02 RPI Report...The Minutemen will have at least 10 games televised during the season (three ESPN, two ESPN2 and five A-10 Network).