UMaine Men's Hoops Announces Out Of Conference Schedule

ORONO, Maine--University of Maine men's basketball head coach Ted Woodward announced the team's 2009-10 non-conference schedule today. The schedule is one of the most difficult in the America East Conference with games against Syracuse, Connecticut, Boston College and Fordham. The Black Bears schedule also features four home games as well as a home exhibition game.

"As always, we take pride on challenging ourselves against some of the best teams in the country," said Woodward. "To have UConn, Syracuse and B.C. on the schedule, and play against top conferences like the Big East, the ACC and Atlantic 10 for almost a third of our non-league schedule certainly is a tough task, but one that our guys have been preparing for throughout the off-season."

Maine begins play with an exhibition game at home against Laval University on Nov. 1 before opening regular season play on Nov. 13 at Fordham in Bronx, N.Y. The Black Bears play at Norfolk St. in Norfolk, Va. on Nov. 16 and follow that up with a game at Delaware St. on Nov. 18.

Maine plays at Brown on Nov. 22 before opening up its home schedule with a game against Quinnipiac on Nov. 24. The Black Bears then head to New York to play at Colgate in Hamilton on Dec. 3, and then battle Syracuse from the Big East on Dec. 5.

Maine returns home for contests against University of Maine-Presque Isle on Dec. 9, Kennesaw State on Dec. 13 and Princeton on Dec. 20 before traveling to play Connecticut on Dec. 22. Maine continues play on the road with a Dec. 30 game at Columbia in New York followed by the final non-conference game of the season on Jan. 2 at Boston College.

Maine plays as many major conference schools this season as any other team in America East.

Coach Woodward also announced that Jerrell Boswell, a 6-0 guard from Covington, Ga., and Snead State Community College in Boaz, Ala., will attend the University of Maine in the fall and play for the men's basketball team.

"Jerrell certainly adds some deep range shooting and explosive scoring punch to our wing positions," said Woodward. "He is a great shooter with a very quick release who can stretch the defense."

Boswell was the sixth-leading scorer in the Alabama Community College Conference during his sophomore season, averaging 18.5 points per game. He made 147 three-pointers while shooting 40.9 percent from behind the arc, averaging 4.9 three-pointers per game. Boswell had four games where he made 10 or more three-pointers, including 15 in one game which is the second-most in National Junior College Athletic Association history according to their record books.

He was a two-time All-Region 23 selection and led his team to a top-25 ranking during the 2008-09 season.

The eligibility of all student-athletes is contingent upon admission to the University of Maine and compliance with all NCAA rules, including registration with the NCAA clearinghouse.

Courtesy:UMaine Athletics