AASU Men's Basketball Releases 2009-10 Schedule

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Head coach Jeremy Luther and the Armstrong Atlantic State men's basketball team have announced their schedule for the upcoming 2009-10 season, the first for Luther at the helm of the Pirates' program.

The season begins as the Pirates travel to Southeast region foe Wingate on Sunday, November 15, for a 7:00 p.m. matchup with the Bulldogs. AASU will then visit St. Augustine's on Tuesday, Nov. 17, before returning to Savannah for the 2009-10 home opener against Brewton-Parker on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 4:00 p.m.

AASU then hosts NCAA Regional participant Florida Southern on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 4:00 p.m. The Peach Belt Conference slate begins on Saturday, December 5, as the Pirates visit Elite Eight participant Augusta State. Allen University visits AASU to take on the Pirates on Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 7:00 p.m., then the Pirates host the first of their two holiday tournaments on Dec. 18-19, facing Mount Olive and perennial SAC opponent Lenoir-Rhyne in the 2009 Chatham Orthopedic Holiday Classic at Alumni Arena.

The 2009 calendar year ends with their New Year's Classic on Dec. 29-30 as the Pirates host Voorhees and Wingate, respectively.

2010 opens with one of two new Peach Belt  foes on the schedule for the Pirates as AASU takes on Flagler in St. Augustine, Fla., on January 2. The Pirates then enjoy four straight home PBC contests, hosting USC Aiken on Jan. 9; Augusta State on Jan. 13; Georgia College on Jan. 16 and the second new PBC foe, Montevallo, on Jan. 18.

A three-game road swing begins with an important PBC clash at Lander and former AASU head coach Jeff Burkhamer on Jan. 20. AASU then visits UNC Pembroke on Jan. 23 and Clayton State on Jan. 27. January ends with a home game against North Georgia on the 30th at Alumni Arena.

Flagler makes its first visit to Savannah on February 3, then the Pirates travel to Francis Marion on Feb. 6 before returning home to host coach Burkhamer on his return to Alumni Arena as Lander visits on Feb. 8. Another three-game league road trip has the Pirates at Georgia Southwestern on Feb. 11; Columbus State on Feb. 13 and USC Aiken on Feb. 20. The 2009-10 regular season ends with two home contests for AASU, hosting UNC Pembroke on Feb. 24 and Francis Marion on Feb. 27.

With 13 teams in the Peach Belt this season, the league has been split into divisions and the format of the 2009-10 PBC Tournament has also changed. AASU is in the new East division of the PBC along with Lander, Flagler, Francis Marion, USC Aiken and Augusta State.

Eight out of the 13 teams will qualify for the PBC Tournament, with the top two seeds from each division hosting a first-round contest on campus on March 3, then the four winners traveling to Aiken, S.C., for the new PBC Final Four on March 6-7.

Coach Luther inherits a program that has made four trips to the NCAA Championship over the last six seasons, including a 23-7 campaign in 2008-09 that included a program-best No. 12 national ranking during the regular season, its highest national ranking achieved in the Peach Belt Conference era.

Click here to view the complete 2009-10 AASU Men's Basketball schedule.