July 8, 2005
ORLANDO - UCF men's basketball head coach Kirk Speraw announced the Golden Knights 2005-06 non-conference schedule on Friday and the slate features three teams that participated in the postseason last year. This season will mark the Golden Knights first campaign in Conference USA after moving from the Atlantic Sun.
The non-conference schedule includes eight home contests, including the second-annual UCF Holiday Classic tournament in late December.
The Golden Knights will face perennial national powers Florida and Kentucky on the road and will also participate in the Fiesta Bowl Classic, hosted by Arizona. All three teams played in the NCAA Tournament last season, with Arizona and Kentucky both advancing to the Elite Eight.
"The tough non-conference schedule will help us understand where we are as a team heading into Conference USA," said Speraw. "Our kids enjoy stepping up to those challenges to play opponents like Florida and Kentucky."
UCF opens the regular season with four consecutive contests at UCF Arena, starting with a Nov. 18 game against cross-town opponent Rollins. The Golden Knights lead the all-time series, 24-15, but the squads have not met since the 1998-99 season.
After hosting Nova Southeastern (Nov. 22), UCF welcomes longtime local rival Stetson to Orlando on Nov. 26. Against the Hatters, the Golden Knights have won eight consecutive contests, including two in 2004-05. UCF concludes the season-opening homestand on Nov. 29 versus Bethune-Cookman.
Stetson is one of three A-Sun programs on the UCF schedule as the team also plays at Florida Atlantic on Dec. 13. All-time, the Golden Knights hold a 20-6 series edge against the Owls.
"We get to continue some of the great rivalries that we have had," said Speraw. "We will still get to play Stetson and FAU. It is good for the fans and good for college basketball to play as many teams as you can in the state of Florida."
On Dec. 3, UCF heads north to Gainesville to face Florida. The in-state rivals have not met since 2003, when they played in Jacksonville. The Gators, one of two Southeastern Conference opponents on the schedule, went 24-8 last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
After a Dec. 16 home contest with Norfolk State, the Golden Knights travel out west to participate in the Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tucson, Ariz. In addition to host Arizona, Sam Houston State and Western Kentucky are also participating in the tournament.
UCF will open the tournament against Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers were 22-9 last season and participated in the postseason National Invitation Tournament.
A year ago, Arizona went 30-7, including a 15-1 mark at home in the McKale Center. Wildcat head coach Lute Olson coached Kirk Speraw while Speraw was a student-athlete at Iowa.
Following the trip to Arizona, the Golden Knights will host their own tournament, the UCF Holiday Classic. The two-day event, which begins Dec. 29, includes Birmingham-Southern, North Florida and Western Illinois.
UCF concludes its non-conference road schedule on Jan. 3 at Kentucky. The contest will mark the first meeting with the Wildcats, who posted a 28-6 record in 2004-05 and made their 14th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
For the second straight season, the Golden Knights will host South Dakota State. The date for the meeting is still to be determined.
Before kicking off the regular season, UCF will face Barry in an exhibition game on Nov. 9.
The C-USA schedule will be announced in late August. UCF's league slate will consist of 14 contests.
The Golden Knights return three starters and seven letterwinners from last season's squad that went 24-9 and made its second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Dating back to the start of the 2002-03 season, UCF has won 70 games - a mark that ranks 23rd nationally and first in the state of Florida during that span.
Season tickets are scheduled to go on sale in early-August.
UCF Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 9 - BARRY (exhibition)
Nov. 18 - ROLLINS
Nov. 22 - NOVA SOUTHEASTERN
Nov. 26 - STETSON
Nov. 29 - BETHUNE-COOKMAN
Dec. 3 - at Florida
Dec. 13 - at Florida Atlantic
Dec. 16 - NORFOLK STATE
Dec. 19-21 - at Fiesta Bowl Classic (Tucson, Ariz.)
Dec, 29-30 - UCF HOLIDAY CLASSIC (Orlando, Fla.)
Jan. 3 - at Kentucky
TBD - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Home games in CAPS; all dates subject to change