IS GETTING ITS DRAFT BOARD READY
La Salle sent this over today. The Explorers have drawn South Carolina in the opener of the Charleston Classic.
Here is the release:
La Salle will take on South Carolina in a nationally-televised contest on ESPNU on Thursday, November 19 in the opening round of the Charleston Classic, ESPN Regional Television, Inc. announced today. The two teams will meet at 9:30 PM at Carolina First Arena.
The Gamecocks were 21-10 last season under second-year head coach Darrin Horn, falling to Davidson in the first round of the NIT. South Carolina returns senior point guard Devan Downey, who earned first team all-SEC and honorable mention All-American honors.
The winner of the La Salle-South Carolina game will meet the winner of USF/Davidson on Friday at 9:30 PM.
The eight-team field also includes Miami (Fla.), UNC Wilmington, Penn State and Tulane. Four of the teams in the field played in the 2009 National Invitation Tournament, which includes NIT champion Penn State, Davidson, Miami and South Carolina.
In the first round of action Thursday, Nov. 19, Tulane will take on Miami at 1:30 p.m. ET; UNC Wilmington will face Penn State, live at 4 p.m. ET on ESPNU; USF will meet Davidson at 7 p.m. ET; and La Salle and South Carolina will square off live at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
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FRAN DUNPHY, Temple
He begins his third season on North Broad with nearly 350 career victories after a long tenure at Penn. The Owls won the Atlantic 10 Tournament last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
BRUISER FLINT, Drexel
He begins his eighth season with the Dragons after returning to the city where he played collegiately at St. Joe’s. The Dragons have advanced to the postseason in four of the last six years and have won at least 17 games four times under Flint.
DR. JOHN GIANNINI, La Salle
He begins his fifth season at the school after successful tenures at the University of Maine and Rowan, where teams made two trips to the Division III Final Four. At LaSalle two seasons ago, he engineered an 18-win season and third-place finish in the Atlantic 10, the school’s best finish since joining the league for the 1995-96 season.
PHIL MARTELLI, Saint Joseph’s
He begins his 14th season on Hawk Hill, having won more than 250 games. He is a four-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and has taken the Hawks to the postseason in seven of the last eight years.
GLEN MILLER, Penn
He begins his third season at the school after moving within the Ivy League from Brown. In his first season, he led the Quakers to an Ivy League championship and their third consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.
JAY WRIGHT, Villanova
He begins his eighth season at ‘Nova, having amassed 148 wins at the school. Villanova has made the NCAA Tournament for the last four seasons, including three trips to the Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight appearance. Wright came to Villanova following his tenure at Hofstra and has 270 career victories.
