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2017-18 Promotions Schedule

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel men's basketball team will officially open the 2017-18 season on Friday, Nov. 10 with a 3 p.m. game against Oglethorpe inside McAlister Field House. In honor of Saturday, Nov. 11 being Veterans Day, the game is sponsored by the Marines and fans with a valid military ID will be admitted for $5 (limit four (4) per person).

Citadel basketball and volleyball fans as well as season ticket holders should be aware that there will be road closures on Friday, Nov. 10 in and around the area of Johnson Hagood Stadium due to an event scheduled for that evening. Subsequently, The Citadel is asking all patrons who plan to attend the basketball game against Oglethorpe and the 7 p.m. volleyball match against Western Carolina to enter campus through the Lesesne Gate off of Moultrie Street. All other campus gates will be closed with the exception of the Dunneman Gate, which is also the preferred egress after each game for patrons (buses excluded).

During Friday's game, 2017-18 basketball schedule popups as well as posters and schedule cards will be available for fans to pick up. Also, Bulldog Tours camo koozies will be given away with the purchase of a Pepsi product at the concessions stand while supplies last.

On the court, head coach Duggar Baucom will field one of the youngest teams in all of NCAA Division I this season with six freshmen, four sophomores, three juniors and no seniors. The Citadel is one of just five teams in the country that have reported having no seniors and is one of six teams that have reported having three or fewer upperclassmen. Only SoCon rival Chattanooga, national powerhouse Kentucky and Northeast Conference school Robert Morris report having more freshmen than The Citadel. Both the Mocs and the Wildcats boast eight freshmen - seven true and one redshirt on each squad - while the Colonials have seven, including six true freshmen and one redshirt.

The young Bulldogs will take on an Oglethorpe team that is under the direction of 15^th-year head coach Philip Ponder. The two programs have met six times prior to Friday's matchup dating back to the 1926 season. The Bulldogs have claimed every meeting and are 5-0 at home against the stormy Petrels. The most recent meeting came on Dec. 9, 2002, with The Citadel winning 95-55.

Last season, the Stormy Petrels went 10-16 overall and 7-7 in Southern Athletic Association (SAA) action. Justin Edwards and Connor Smith led the team with 15.6 and 15.0 points per game, respectively. Both return this season, as does third-leading scorer Chris Lawrence, who averaged 9.8 points per game a season ago. Smith was also the leading rebounder last season with 6.5 boards per contest.

The game against Oglethorpe begins a stretch of four games in nine days to start the season for the Bulldogs, including three on the road in the span of seven days. Following the home opener on Friday, the bulldogs will head to Virginia Tech for a game on Sunday, Nov. 12 in Blacksburg, Virginia, before heading to the state of North Carolina for games at North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, Nov. 15, and High Point on Saturday, Nov. 18.

Following the basketball game this Friday, The Citadel volleyball team will take on Western Carolina in a 7 p.m. match inside McAlister.

Season tickets for all 15 games, as well as special mini-packs of six games, are still on sale. Season ticket packages can be purchased for $150 and by purchasing the complete season pass, fans save $75. Fans can also take advantage of mini packs where they choose any six home games for $72, saving $18 compared to buying all six individually on the day of the game. Single game tickets the day of the contest are $15.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the ticket office located inside McAlister Field House, by calling (843) 953-DOGS (3647) or online at this link: CLICK HERE. Hours for the ticket office are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

When buying tickets, fans can also donate to C.H.A.M.P., a rebranding of the former Junior Bulldogs program. C.H.A.M.P. is a way for fans to donate money that goes towards tickets for non-profit organizations, veterans programs and Title I schools in the Charleston area. The program allows those fans who normally cannot afford to attend games the opportunity to do so.

Last season, The Citadel led the nation in scoring offense, averaging 89.9 points per game. The Bulldogs also finished in the top-10 in the nation in six other statistical categories. The Citadel was second in the nation in three-point field goals made (397), three-point field goals attempted (1,166) and turnovers forced (579). The Bulldogs were also third in three-point field goals made per game (12.0), sixth in total steals (306) and seventh in steals per game (9.3).

The Bulldogs ended the season 11^th in offensive rebounds per game (13.58), 16^th in turnover margin (+3.2), 22^ndin free throws made (607), 28^th in total assists (561), 29^th in free throw percentage (75.7%) and 38^th in the nation in free throws attempted (802).

For more information on The Citadel basketball team, follow @CitadelHoops and @CitadelSports or visit CitadelSports.com.