MAVS TO OPEN SEASON AT BCA CLASSIC
8/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 11, 2005
PRINCETON, N.J. - The UTA men's basketball team will make history as they compete in their first preseason tournament at the 2005 Black Coaches Association (BCA) Classic Nov. 13-15 in Seattle, Wash.
Coaches Association (BCA) Classic men's college basketball tournament. The University of Washington will host the eight-team tournament at Bank of America Arena in Seattle. The other participating teams in this year's BCA Classic include Air Force, University of Miami, Morgan State, Northern Arizona, UNC Greensboro, UT-Arlington and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
UTA will open with Miami, Fla., in the opening round at 2:30 p.m. PT on Nov. 13.
"This is a great opportunity for us to face some of the best teams in the country," said UTA head coach Eddie McCarter, now in his 14th season as the Mavs head coach. "Miami returns a veteran team and they had a big year last season. it will be a great experience for us to play in this tournaent."
UTA returns all five starters off a 13-15 squad that tied for sixth in the Southland Conference. Senior forward Steven Thomas ranks in the top 10 in career scoring and rebounds with a full season to play at UTA. He was named to the first-team all-SLC squad following his junior season.
Second-year head coach Frank Haith, a 2005 Naismith National Coach of the Year finalist, and the Miami Hurricanes enter the 2005-06 season looking build off last season, when they earned their first postseason bid since 2002. Coach Haith's squad returns four of five starters including his star guard, Guillermo Diaz, who was a Second Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection last season.
The Washington Huskies were last season's 2005 Pac-10 champions and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Huskies advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, finishing the year No. 9 in country. Romar received numerous accolades on the season including the 2005 Pac-10 Coach of the Year and the Fritz Pollard Award as the BCA Male Coach of the Year. This season, the Huskies will return three of last year's top five scorers in Brandon Roy, Bobby Jones and Mike Jensen.
"We are excited to be hosting this year's BCA Classic," said Washington head coach, Lorenzo Romar. "It will be great for our kids to face such strong competition this early in the year."
Air Force, which lost 69-65 to Marquette in the Championship Game of the 2004 BCA Classic, went on to have the second best season in school history, finishing 18-12. This year's Falcons feature new head coach Jeff Bzdelik and the return of four starters - Nick Welch, Antoine Hood, Jacob Burtschi and Matt McCraw - who all earned All-Mountain West Conference honors last season. BCA Classic champion, Marquette, finished the season with a 19-12 record and a bid to the NIT tournament. Last year's BCA Classic MVP Travis Diener was recently picked 38th in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic.
The Huskies' first-round opponent, Morgan State, is coached by former Seattle Supersonic, Alfred "Butch" Beard. Other first-round matchups include UW-Green Bay versus UNC Greensboro, Air Force versus Northern Arizona, and Miami versus UT-Arlington.
Tickets for the 2005 BCA Classic can be purchased by contacting the University of Washington box office at (206) 543-2200 or by visiting gohuskies.com.
"We are very grateful to have the University of Washington hosting this year's BCA Classic," said Floyd Keith, Executive Director of the BCA. "Seattle is a terrific city, and we look forward to having a great three-day event at Bank of America Arena."
The Black Coaches Association is a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is to foster the growth and development of minorities at all levels of sport both nationally and internationally. The BCA is committed to creating a positive, enlightened environment and common ground where issues can be examined closely, debated sincerely and resolved honestly. Throughout the BCA's 17-year history, the organization has been at the forefront of the effort to enhance the employment opportunities and professional development of the minority professional.
