The Moccasins begin their three-game exhibition swing through NCAA Division I territory Saturday when they take on Butler University at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs return three starters from last season’s 33-5 team that made a magical run to the NCAA Division I championship game, falling to Duke, 61-59, when a long three-point shot at the buzzer fell short.
Butler is a unanimous choice to win the Horizon League this season. Hinkle Fieldhouse, the site of Saturday’s game, is where the state championship game in the movie €œHoosiers was filmed. Butler will have live stats available on its website at www.butlersports.com and an audio stream available at http://www.wibc.com/.
For coach Linc Darner and six of his players, the trip to Indiana is a homecoming. Darner is from Anderson and played at Purdue. Brandon and Terry Jenkins are from Muncie, Jay Hubble is from Pendleton, Damon Ellison is from Indianapolis, Cameron Wooten is from Peru and Jon Gardner is from Anderson.
With four starters back from last season'€™s 25-5 team that earned a share of the Sunshine State Conference title, Darner is expecting to go with a starting lineup of guards Rion Rayfield and Brandon and Terry Jenkins, forward Andre Hawkins and either Cameron Wooten or Preston Fredrick at the position vacated by the graduation of last season’s scoring and rebounding leader and SSC Player of the Year John Thompson.
Following Saturday’s game at Butler, the Moccasins head to Maryland, where they will take on the Terrapins Monday at 8 p.m. at the Comcast Center in College Park. Maryland is picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Live stats for the Maryland game will be available by clicking on the Gametracker link on the Maryland men'€™s basketball schedule page. A week from Monday (Nov. 8), the Moccasins play the Miami Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables. Miami is picked to finish eighth in the ACC.
FSC alums living in the Indiana and Maryland areas are invited to attend receptions prior to the exhibition games in their respective locations Saturday and Monday. Prior to Saturday's game at Butler, there will be a reception at noon in the Hickory Locker Room in Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler campus. Prior to Monday's game at Maryland, a reception will be held at the Hard Times Cafe, 4738 Cherry Hill Road in College Park, at 6 p.m.
