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The Firebirds will play four Division I teams in 2012-13.
The Firebirds will play four Division I teams in 2012-13.
Posted: Oct 01, 2012

District of Columbia Men's Basketball Announces 2012-13 Schedule

WASHINGTON, DC  –  The University of the District of Columbia men's basketball team will take on four Division I teams, two teams from last year's NCAA Division II Tournament field, and will renew its crosstown rivalry with Bowie State as fourth-year head coach Jeff Ruland announced the 2012-13 schedule.

The Firebirds open the season with Division I Big East power Villanova at The Pavilion on November 9th as part of the 2K Sports Classic. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. Also as part of the 2K Classic, the Firebirds will travel to East Hempstead, NY to take on three more Division I teams: Marshall (Nov. 16), the host Hofstra (Nov. 17) and South Dakota State (Nov. 18).

"I really think we've put together a great schedule," Ruland said. "The four Division I games is unprecedented, but we think it will give us great exposure and certainly get us ready for the conference schedule."

In between the Villanova and Marshall contests, District of Columbia will host its season home-opener against East Region foe USciences of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference on November 10th at 7 p.m.

The Firebirds then travel to New York once more to take on another CACC school, Dominican College on November 25th, and then they have nearly two weeks off before their East Coast Conference season opener at Bridgeport on December 8th.

December 12th marks the renewal of the District of Columbia-Bowie State rivalry, to be hosted by the Firebirds at 7 p.m. These two crosstown rivals, both with rich basketball traditions, are separated by less than 30 miles and have met a total of 37 times dating back to 1972. The Firebirds are 22-15 all-time in what has always been a very competitive series.

District of Columbia then hosts ECC newcomer Roberts Wesleyan on December 15th before taking a 15-day break for the winter holidays. Then, the Firebirds are back in action at UMass Lowell on December 30th. The Riverhawks, who compete in the Northeast-10 conference, were a No. 4 seed in last year's NCAA East Regional, but were upset in the first round by No. 5, Bloomfield.
The Firebirds then enter back into ECC play with a Saturday afternoon game at NYIT on January 5th. They come back home to host St. Thomas Aquinas on January 9th, then go back out to Long Island to visit LIU Post on January 12th and Dowling on January 16th.Molloy and Queens visit the nation's capital for ECC tilts with District of Columbia on January 19th and 23rd, respectively, before the Firebirds head up north to Rochester, NY to battle Roberts Wesleyan on January 26th. They return home to host Bridgeport on January 30th, then go back on the road to Dobbs Ferry, NY to play Mercy on February 2nd. The Firebirds remaining regular season schedule is as follows: Feb. 6 vs. NYIT, Feb. 9 at St. Thomas Aquinas, Feb. 13 vs. LIU Post, Feb. 16 vs. Dowling (Hall of Fame Game), Feb. 20 at Queens, Feb. 23 at Molloy and Mar. 2 vs. Mercy.
 
District of Columbia is coming off a 22-6 record and its first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in 25 years in 2011-12. Ruland has added five new players  to the roster which include three Division I transfers, one Division II transfer and one Junior College All-American.
 

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