UCF to play Arizona and Kentucky and maybe Bulls

[Brad]

Golden Knights toughen their basketball schedule

They'll be in a tourney at Arizona and likely will visit Kentucky, too.

By Alan Schmadtke

Sentinel Staff Writer

April 21, 2005

UCF's first season in Conference USA will be more memorable than an upgraded league schedule. The Golden Knights will make their first trip to Arizona -- and maybe to Kentucky.

Coach Kirk Speraw said a brief conversation with his former college coach, Arizona's Lute Olson, turned into an invitation for the Knights to play in the Wildcats' four-team tournament in December.

"I was thinking about going out there as a guarantee opponent, but then Lute said, 'Well, I've got this tournament,'" said Speraw, who played for Olson at Iowa. "Forty-five minutes later, it was done."

With a 14-game C-USA schedule not kicking in until the second week of January, Speraw has agreed to his program's first date against Kentucky. A tentative date is Jan. 3.

Beyond Arizona, the only other confirmed date on the schedule is South Dakota State, which is supposed to return to Orlando for the second of a three-game deal, Speraw said. UCF will go to Sioux Falls, S.D., in 2006-07.

The Knights will host a four-team, post-Christmas tournament for the second year in a row, though opponents have not been determined. They have contacted Miami, USF, Stetson and Florida Atlantic about games, though Speraw has not spoken to new FAU Coach Matt Doherty.

"We've got some contracts out for some big opponents, but we haven't gotten them back yet," Speraw said. "I don't want to jinx anything."

Meanwhile, UCF Athletic Director Steve Orsini on Wednesday announced Weber State AD William Weidner as his new deputy athletic director.

Weidner will handle the day-to-day operations of UCF's athletic department. The created position will free up Orsini to oversee the construction of a number of new facilities and to raise money. Weidner, who was on campus Tuesday, will start within a month.

In addition, academic services coordinator Karl Mooney will become senior associate to the athletics director. Mooney will serve in a number of roles, including handling special projects, Orsini said.

Alan Schmadtke can be reached at aschmadtke@orlandosentinel.com.

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No way you guys can handle Arizona, Kentucky and South Florida

[Velcro]

No way you guys can handle Arizona, Kentucky and South Florida

Brad,

that should read "OR"

[TripleB]

It is good to see them starting to play some real basketball teams. It will give their basketball smack a better sense of realism for the years to come ...

[BULLO12]

It is good to see them starting to play some real basketball teams. It will give their basketball smack a better sense of realism for the years to come ...

No no no...their smack has never had any realism Trip.

[TyBull]

Lets see if ftu wins 20 games this season?  :-[

[KnightsRule]

Lets see if ftu wins 20 games this season?  :-[

Lets see if USF wins 5 [smiley=gab.gif]

[TripleB]

Lets see if USF wins 5 [smiley=gab.gif]

In football?

[TripleB]

No no no...their smack has never had any realism Trip.

Good point .............. Corrected it.

[DawgPound]

In football?

Either.  5 wins in either won't get you to the postseason.

[bullwark]

Good Luck in Rupp, UCF will need it.  Nice to see UCF step it up and play "Big Time" college basketball.