ERIE, Pa. - Gannon head men's basketball coach John T. Reilly announced the program's 2010-11 regular-season schedule on Tuesday. The slate includes 26 games, 14 contests against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division opponents and four PSAC cross-over affairs which do not count in the league standings.

In conjunction with the “NCAA Division II Life in the Balance” initiative, the NCAA has reduced the Division II regular season to 26 games beginning in 2010-11.

The men's schedule features 15 home games, including seven of the campaign's first nine. Eleven road games dot the slate. For only the second time in the last 15 years, the Golden Knights open the regular season by hosting the 27th annual Gary Miller Classic. The semifinals are scheduled for Friday, November 26 with the consolation and championship games slated for Saturday, November 27.

The Gary Miller Classic features Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) foe Northern Michigan, provisional NCAA Division II member Cedarville and Daemen. Cedarville will be in the second year of a three-year transition phrase to NCAA Division II. The Yellow Jackets finished 26-9 last season, advancing to the second round of the NAIA national tournament. They are joining a growing list of NCAA Division II institutions in Ohio. Ashland, Findlay, Central State, Lake Erie, Tiffin and Urbana are already full-fledged members. Notre Dame (Ohio) and Cedarville are in the second year of their transition phrase while Ohio Dominican is in its final provisional season.

The 2010-11 schedule includes plenty of opponents who posted winning records last season. The Golden Knights' 2010-11 opponents won 58 percent (314-229) of their games last season. Three of those opponents played in the 2010 NCAA Division II Tournament: Indiana (Pa.), Central State and East Stroudsburg. The squad's non-conference opponents won 61 percent (143-90) of their games last season.

Gannon faces IUP twice, opening PSAC Western Division play Wednesday, January 12 on the Crimson Hawks' home floor. The squad hosts IUP Saturday, February 5 during the team's annual Pink Zone doubleheader.

Central State is one of two teams which will play home-and-home series against Gannon. The Marauders hosts the Golden Knights Tuesday, December 7 and plays at the Hammermill Center Monday, February 7. The Ohio independent finished 22-6 in 2009-10, concluding the season with a 70-66 loss to Bellarmine (Ky.) in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Urbana is also scheduled for a home-and-home series after sweeping Gannon last season. The contests will take place in Urbana Saturday, December 4 and in Erie Saturday, December 18.

In addition to the Gary Miller Classic, the home schedule is also highlighted by the 37th annual Porreco Cup, scheduled for December 29-30. Gannon has won five of the last seven Porreco Cup titles and 12 of the last 16. The four-team field includes former GLIAC rival Wayne State (Mich.), West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) member Seton Hill and East Stroudsburg. All three teams won at least 14 games last season. East Stroudsburg qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament, before finishing 24-6.

Fourteen of the final 15 games of the regular-season pit Gannon against PSAC Western Division opponents. The stretch tips off Wednesday, January 12 at Indiana (Pa.).

All non-tournament home games will begin at 7:30 p.m. except for the February 5 Pink Zone game which will tip off at 3 p.m., while Gary Miller Classic and Porreco Cup games will begin at 6 and 8 p.m.

Rivalry home games are scheduled for Wednesday, January 26 against Mercyhurst and Wednesday, February 9 against Edinboro.

Gannon concludes the regular season with five of its last eight games at home. The Golden Knights host Slippery Rock Wednesday, February 23, before hosting Clarion Saturday, February 26 for Senior Night and the regular-season finale.

The PSAC Quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, March 1. The highest remaining Western Division seed will host the 2011 PSAC Final Four March 4-5.

For the complete 2010-11 men's basketball schedule, please click here.