Wednesday, August 16, 2006

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida men's basketball team will dive into its second season of Division I competition with the most challenging opponent lineup in school history, head coach Matt Kilcullen said on Wednesday in announcing his team's 2006-07 schedule.

After playing only mid-major and conference opponents a year ago in their first year as a Division I program, the Ospreys have upgraded in a big way for 2006-07. UNF will play the defending national champion Florida Gators in Gainesville on Nov. 14 after opening the season against Big East Conference power St. John's in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer on Nov. 10 in New York City. Also on the schedule is a game at Big Ten foe Northwestern on Thanksgiving weekend.

In addition, the Ospreys will play three non- conference home games against Division I foes - Florida Atlantic (Nov. 22), Binghamton (Dec. 18) and Florida A&M (Dec. 20). UNF played just one Division I non-conference foe at home last season.

"Our non-conference schedule has definitely been upgraded," said Kilcullen, who will begin his eighth season as the Ospreys' head coach this fall. "We are going to get experience playing in two major markets - New York and Chicago - and we are going to also face the defending national champions. Those games will be incredibly challenging for a program only in its second year of Division I, but we are excited about having the opportunity."