University of Massachusets Athletics
2004-05 Men's Basketball Schedule Released
September 02, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Sept. 2, 2004
AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts released the 2004-05 men's basketball schedule today. The Minutemen will play a very competitive schedule which features games against six teams which played in last season's NCAA Tournament, including defending national champion Connecticut at the Mullins Center on December 9. The slate features 17 home games including top non-conference games against Big East foe Boston College on January 2 and ACC challenger Florida State on February 15.
On the road, UMass will travel to the great northwest and the sunny south within an eight-day span, as the Minutemen will play nationally-ranked Gonzaga at the Battle in Seattle at the Key Arena on December 4. Following the UConn game, UMass will fly south as it faces Miami on December 12.
Other home non-conference games include the season-opener vs. Birmingham Southern (Nov. 23), Yale (Nov. 28), Northeastern (Dec. 1), Davidson (Dec. 19), Rider (Dec. 23) and Boston University (Dec. 28).
The Atlantic 10 schedule is also daunting, as the Minutemen open the conference season hosting Temple on January 5 and Atlantic 10 Tournament champion Xavier on January 8. Those pair of games are followed by a trip to defending Atlantic 10 regular-season title holder Saint Joseph's on January 12. The Minutemen wrap up the regular-season with a pair of road games at Temple on February 26 and at Dayton on March 1 before returning home for the finale vs. Duquesne on March 5.
"This is a very ambitious schedule for our team," said head coach Steve Lappas, who enters his fourth season at the helm in Amherst. "But, I feel we are ready for the challenge to face some of the nation's top teams."
Four teams in UMass' schedule finished last season ranked in the Associated Press Top 15, led by champion Connecticut (No. 1), Saint Joseph's (No. 5), Gonzaga (No. 12) and Xavier (No. 14). Six teams made last season's NCAA Tournament: UConn (National Champion), Saint Joseph's (Elite Eight), Xavier (Elite Eight), Boston College (Second Round), Gonzaga (Second Round) and Dayton (First Round).
Seven of the teams on the schedule are ranked in the preseason Top 50 according to ESPN's Andy Katz: Connecticut, Gonzaga, Boston College, Florida State, George Washington and Xavier.
The television schedule will be released in the future.
 
2004-05 UMASS Men's Basketball Schedule  
| Day | Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
| Friday | Nov. 12 | Concordia, QUEBEC (Exhibition) | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Nov. 23 | BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | Nov. 28 | YALE | MULLINS CENTER | 2:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Dec. 1 | NORTHEASTERN | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Dec. 4 | vs. Gonzaga (Battle In Seattle) | Seattle, Wash. | 4:00 p.m. ET |
| Thursday | Dec. 9 | CONNECTICUT | MULLINS CENTER | 9:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | Dec. 12 | at Miami (Fla.) | Coral Gables, Fla. | 2:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | Dec. 19 | DAVIDSON | MULLINS CENTER | 2:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | Dec. 23 | RIDER | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Dec. 28 | BOSTON UNIVERSITY | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | Jan. 2 | BOSTON COLLEGE | MULLINS CENTER | 2:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Jan. 5 | TEMPLE* | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Jan. 8 | XAVIER* | MULLINS CENTER | 2:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Jan. 12 | at Saint Joseph's* | Philadelphia, Pa. | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Jan. 15 | at George Washington* | Washington, D.C. | Noon |
| Wednesday | Jan. 19 | FORDHAM* | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Jan. 22 | SAINT JOSEPH'S* | MULLINS CENTER | Noon |
| Wednesday | Jan. 26 | at St. Bonaventure* | St. Bonaventure, N.Y. | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Jan. 29 | RICHMOND* | MULLINS CENTER | Noon |
| Saturday | Feb. 5 | ST. BONAVENTURE* | MULLINS CENTER | Noon |
| Wednesday | Feb. 9 | at Rhode Island* | Kingston, R.I. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | Feb. 12 | at Fordham* | Bronx, N.Y. | 1:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Feb. 15 | FLORIDA STATE | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Feb. 19 | at LaSalle* | Philadelphia, Pa. | 4:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Feb. 23 | RHODE ISLAND* | MULLINS CENTER | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Feb. 26 | at Temple* | Philadelphia, Pa. | TBA |
| Tuesday | March 1 | at Dayton* | Dayton, Ohio | 7:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | March 5 | DUQUESNE* | MULLINS CENTER | 2:00 p.m. |
All Dates and Times Subject to Change
Television Schedule will be announced at a later date
Home Games at the MULLINS CENTER in BOLD CAPS
Atlantic 10 Conference Games denoted with asterisk
