MONTGOMERY — The start of college basketball season is just a little over a month away.

The WVU Tech men’s basketball program, led by head coach Bob Williams, has released a 2012-13 schedule which features a 30-game (13 home, 17 away) slate.

The Golden Bears will open the season at home as a part of the 2012 homecoming festivities when they play host to Salem International University on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. Three days later, the squad plays host to the Fighting Scots of Ohio Valley University.

“We are in three tournaments (this year),” said Williams. “This is good because it will ready us for back-to-back days of tournament play when we host the A.I.I. Tournament in March.

“This is a great opportunity to be able to play this tournament in Montgomery and have our fans and community here to support us.”

The first tournament is at UVA-Wise on Nov. 2 and 3, as the Golden Bears will face Bethel College and UVA-Wise, respectively. A game at home against Bluefield State College is set for Nov. 5 before the Bears travel to the Rio Grande Bevo Francis Tournament on Nov. 9 and 10. In that event, the Blue and Gold will face A.I.I. foe Wilberforce University on the first day, followed by either the University of Rio Grande or Ohio University Chilicothe on Nov. 10.

“Being our first year as an independent, we think we have put together a challenging schedule that allows us to play more in-state road games,” said Williams. “In the Mid-South Conference, most of our road games were out of state.

“It will be nice to renew some old rivalries with Glenville State, Fairmont State, Concord, Bluefield State and Salem.”

Road games against Glenville State (Nov. 13) and Fairmont State University (Nov. 16) follow before a Nov. 20 home encounter with Bluefield College. During the Thanksgiving break, Tech will travel to Bluefield, W.Va. for its final regular season tournament, playing NCAA DII opponent Lander University and Chowan University.

December starts off at home against Bellarmine University and ends on Dec. 17 at Shawnee State University.

The spring semester tips off on Jan. 10 when University of Maine at Fort Kent visits the Baisi Center. Two days later, the Golden Bears travel to Salem International University. Virginia University of Lynchburg visits Montgomery on Jan. 16 for a 7:30 p.m. tip.

Next, the team faces Barber-Scotia College on Jan. 22 before returning home for three straight games including the Baisi Classic against Ohio Mid-Western College on Feb. 2. The team bounces back and forth between home and away games throughout February, highlighted by Senior Day against Knoxville College on Feb. 16 at 4 p.m.

“Losing seven seniors off a twenty-one win team poses challenges for us,” explained Williams. “We will have five freshmen and three new junior college transfers with only one starter returning. Our players are working hard in preseason workouts, and we are eagerly awaiting the start of practice on Sept. 30.”

For up-to-the-minute results and coverage, visit www.GoldenBearAthletics.com or join the school’s Twitter (www.twitter.com/WVUTechAD) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/WVUTechAthletics) accounts.



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Coach Jenna Everhart and the WVU Tech women’s basketball team will play at home 11 times and on the road 19 in 2012-13.

Like their male counterparts, the Bears will open the season at home as part of 2012 homecoming festivities, hosting Ohio Mid-Western College on Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. Before hitting the road for a 13-game stretch that features five tournaments, Tech entertains Bluefield State College on Oct. 31.

“Our team is looking forward to the upcoming 2012-2013 season and our first opportunity as a NAIA independent institution,” Everhart said. “We expect a challenge this season as we play 11 NCAA DII schools and reigning WVIAC champion West Virginia Wesleyan College.”

Before tournament season kicks into full action, Tech will travel to face the University of Pikeville and WVWC on Nov. 3 and 5, respectively. The team’s first tournament play starts on Nov. 9 and 10 with the Rio Grande Bevo Francis Tournament against Rio Grande and Miami Middleton. Next up is a game against Concord University in Athens before departing for Milligan, Tenn. for the Milligan College Tournament, in which Tech will face Milligan and Virginia Intermont College.

After a two-week break, Tech returns to the court for the Central State Benn Waterman Classic against Cedarville University (Ohio) and host Central State University. The following weekend, Dec. 8 and 9, the squad travels to Salem for the Salem International Tournament. There, they will once again face Milligan College and Central State.

The fifth and final tournament of the fall semester features Bluefield State College and Winston-Salem State University as formidable opponents on Dec. 14 and 15 in Bluefield. The women return home for the final game of 2012 when they face Southern Polytechnic State University on Dec. 22 at 2 p.m.

Tech opens the 2013 portion of its schedule on the road versus Notre Dame (Ohio) College (Ohio) on Jan. 12. The final four games feature one game at home versus Point Park University, two on the road against Voorhees College and Allen University, and Senior Day activities against Florida Christian Sports Academy.

The season’s final stretch will prepare Tech to host the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) conference tournament at Montgomery during the first weekend of March. “We are thrilled to be the A.I.I. Tournament host and look forward to a competitive and exciting tournament in March,” Everhart said.