UD basketball will hold open practices Friday

Harding Nana

3:59 p.m., Oct. 12, 2005--The University of Delaware will tip off the centennial season of varsity basketball on campus when the men’s and women’s teams hold open practices on Friday evening, Oct. 14, at the Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center.

The UD women’s team will begin its practice at 7 p.m. and the men’s team will begin its practice at 8:30 p.m. Both practices are free and open to the public. Friday is the first day NCAA Division I teams are allowed to hold official practices.

The UD women’s team, under Head Coach Tina Martin, is coming off an outstanding 2004-05 season in which the Fightin’ Blue Hens went 25-6, captured the Colonial Athletic Association regular season championship, advanced to the league tournament final and hosted a Women’s National Invitation Tournament game.

UD returns three starters from last year’s team, including junior guard Tyresa Smith, a 2004-05 CAA All-Defensive Team selection who ranked third on the team with 10.3 points per game while leading the squad in assists and steals. Smith will be joined in the backcourt by junior Alena Koshansky, who is expected to start at point guard for the third consecutive season.

Senior Amanda Blackstone, who averaged 4.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while making 26 starts last season, also returns and could start at small forward for the Hens.

The UD men’s team, under Head Coach David Henderson, is hoping to rebound from an 11-20 season when the Hens were hampered by numerous injuries.

The top returning player for the Hens is senior All-America candidate Harding Nana, among just seven players in the nation who led their conferences in scoring and rebounding in 2004-05. Nana averaged 18.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

Fellow senior Andrew Washington will start at shooting guard for the Hens. He was 12th in the conference with 13.2 points per game last season.

The UD men’s team will host Goldey-Beacom College in an exhibition game at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 3. They will open the regular season Friday, Nov. 18, against The Citadel in the Hispanic College Fund Classic hosted by North Carolina State University.

The UD women will open their regular season at home against the University of Massachusetts at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 18.

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