Sept. 13, 2011
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The most-challenging portion of UCF's non-conference schedule will ironically come during the team's most-hospitable trip. When UCF heads to the Bahamas the week of Thanksgiving, the team will enter a tournament with a bevy of talented squads.
The Knights will open the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis Nov. 24 against College of Charleston, a team that won 26 games last season and advanced to the postseason NIT quarterfinals. The following day, head coach Donnie Jones' team will face either defending national champion UConn or UNC-Asheville, an NCAA Tournament participant in 2011. Other squads in the three-game, eight-team event include Sweet 16 team Florida State (who the Knights will also play in Tallahassee on Nov. 14) and Harvard. The Crimson won 23 games in 2010-11 and played in the postseason NIT.
UCF will play three regular-season games before heading to the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. Although that the quality of teams in the Bahamas is impressive, Jones is excited that his Knights will be able to compete against postseason-caliber teams early on during the year.
"It is a great opportunity for us. We will have the chance to compete for three games in a neutral-site atmosphere early on. I think it will help us later on in the year," Jones said.
College of Charleston lost its leading scorer from a year ago, Andrew Goudelock, to graduation and the NBA, but the Cougars still have plenty of talent, including highly-touted freshman Adjehi Baru. UConn will be without Kemba Walker, but the Huskies are still loaded with Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier, Alex Oriachi and a talented freshman class. UNC-Asheville won 20 contests last season and defeated Arkansas-Little Rock in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
UCF will be working six newcomers, including three Division I transfers, into its lineup early in the year. That alone will make the trip to the Bahamas more difficult, but Jones is still looking forward to the tournament, which he believes will help the Knights prepare for Conference USA play.
"We will be young and have a lot of new faces," he said. "We'll find out a lot about ourselves in a short period of time. We will have to compete at the highest level against some very good teams. I think it will be a great opportunity."