JMU hoops to open at Ohio State

Participation in the season-opening Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic highlights the non-conference portion of James Madison University’s 2009-10 men’s basketball schedule released Tuesday.
The Dukes will play Big Ten Conference member Ohio State in their Coaches Vs. Cancer opener, complete participation in the event with three games in Florida and meet Pacific 10 Conference member Stanford during non-conference play. JMU also during the 2009-10 season will play its traditional 18-game Colonial Athletic Association schedule and participate in the ESPNU BracketBusters series for the fourth consecutive season.

The Dukes’ game Nov. 12 at Ohio State will open their schedule, and they’ll continue Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic play Nov. 20-23 at Florida International in Miami. During the three-game stay in Miami, JMU will meet Murray State Nov. 20, Florida International Nov. 22 and North Carolina Central Nov. 23.

JMU will play 13 non-conference games and 18 Colonial Athletic Association contests during the 2009-2010 regular season. JMU will open conference play Dec. 5 at home against Georgia State and resume CAA play Jan. 2 with league teams then playing 17 games during an eight-week period.

The CAA has released its tentative schedule for the season but expects the dates of a number of games to be adjusted to accommodate television. Finalized schedules may not be available until October.

After the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic, JMU opens its home schedule against Maryland-Baltimore County Nov. 28 and hosts Norfolk State Dec. 2. After its Dec. 5 CAA opener, the JMU plays Dec. 12 at Eastern Michigan and Dec. 17 at Gardner-Webb, hosts Radford Dec. 19 and Fordham Dec. 23, and plays Dec. 29 at Stanford.

A Feb. 20 BracketBusters game on the road and a Feb. 22 home game with Longwood will complete JMU’s non-conference schedule.

The Dukes met Gardner-Webb, Radford, Fordham and Longwood during the 2008-09 season and previously have played Ohio State and Maryland-Baltimore County. First-time opponents on the schedule include Murray State, Florida International, North Carolina Central, Eastern Michigan, and Stanford. JMU all-time is 2-0 against Gardner-Webb, 8-2 against Radford, 1-0 against Fordham, 2-2 against Longwood, 1-0 against Ohio State, and 4-1 against Maryland-Baltimore County.

JMU’s 2009-10 BracketBusters opponent is not expected to be announced before late January. The Dukes’ game this season with Gardner-Webb is a return contest from last season’s BracketBusters series.

In CAA play, JMU will meet “traditional rivals” George Mason, Old Dominion, Towson, Virginia Commonwealth, and William & Mary in home-and-home games. The Dukes also will play home-and-home games with Drexel and Georgia State and will play conference single games at home with Delaware and Hofstra and on the road with North Carolina Wilmington and Northeastern.

JMU completed the 2008-09 season – its first under Coach Matt Brady – with a 21-15 record and reached the semifinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

The Dukes return four starters from their 2008-09 team.