The UVI Buccaneers men’s basketball team will be on the hunt for victories this weekend in the Washington, D.C. area.
The Buccaneers will play Montgomery College in Rockville, Md., on Friday; the following day they’ll square off against Goucher College in Towson, Md.; and Sunday they play the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va.. The games on Saturday and Sunday begin at 3 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively and will be broadcast live on WSTA 1340-AM and streamed live over WSTA.com.
It is the first time in 13 years the UVI team has competed on the U.S. mainland and the first trip to the Washington, D.C., area for many members of the team, according to a statement from UVI.
“We’ll visit Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen and take a U.S. Capitol tour, and a tour of the White House,” said UVI Athletic Director Peter Sauer in the statement. “It’s also an opportunity for UVI alumni in the D.C.-Virginia-Maryland area to come out and see the team.”
UVI is a member of the LAI (Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria) university league. LAI was established in 1929 and currently consists of 21 U.S.-accredited universities in the Caribbean — 20 in Puerto Rico — and the University of the Virgin Islands.
“It’s been a while since the guys have been to the mainland,” said UVI Men’s Basketball Coach Sean Georges in the statement. “It gives us a chance to get together as a team before going into the season. It defines each player’s role – it’s a great opportunity for us.”
Last year, Georges said, the UVI Buccaneers recorded eight wins and eight losses, with a team that had only two or three main scorers. This year, however, Georges anticipates a more high-powered offense, with several top-scoring players. It’s an exciting brand of basketball,” he said. “We have a lot of different options this year.”
“We’re going to go out there and represent the University and the Virgin Islands to the best of our ability,” Georges said. “We encourage everyone to come out and support us.”
After returning to the territory, the Buccaneers will play Catholica University of Ponce at home on Nov. 20, at 9:30 p.m. as part of the annual Paradise Jam tournament at the UVI Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas.
