This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The excitement about entering the Western Athletic Conference continues unabated at Utah Valley.

However, that move remains a season away. There is still a Great West Conference championship to win, which the Wolverines have done the last two seasons.

UVU, 20-13 last season, also competed in its first postseason tournament, losing to Weber State in the first round of the College Insider.com Tournament.

Utah Valley lost its leading scorer from last season in Isiah Williams, but coach Dick Hunsaker also returns plenty of scoring and has new potential to work with.

The Wolverines jump into the fire Nov. 11 at IUPUI, the first of three road games to start the season.

"We have our work cut out for us with so many road games front-loaded on the schedule," Hunsaker said. "We face some outstanding competition; our new players are going to be tested mentally, emotionally and physically very early."

Ben Aird, a 6-foot-9 post, and guard Holton Hunsaker combined to score more than 20 points a game last year.

They were also voted to the Great West All-Conference Second Team.

Hunsaker plucked two guards from the junior college ranks. Antoine Hosley averaged a team-best 14.6 points for North Idaho, while Jason Johnson scored 15.5 points at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, Calif. —

Utah Valley basketball schedule

Nov. 9 at IUPUI noon

Nov. 12 at North Carolina A&T State 5 p.m.

Nov. 14 at Washington State 8 p.m.

Nov. 17 Arizona Christian 3:05 p.m.

Nov. 20 vs. Eastern Washington at Santa Clara, Calif. 9:15 p.m.

Nov. 21 at Santa Clara, 9:15 p.m.

Nov. 23 vs. USC Upstate at Santa Clara, Calif. 3 p.m.

Nov. 27 at North Carolina Central 5 p.m.

Dec. 1 Pepperdine 7 p.m.

Dec. 5 at Weber State 7 p.m.

Dec. 8 at Troy 7 p.m.

Dec. 15 Utah State 7 p.m.

Dec. 19 Troy 7 p.m.

Dec. 22 North Carolina Central 4 p.m.

Dec. 28 vs. Austin Peay at Chattanooga, Tenn. 2:30 p..

Dec. 29 at UT Chattanooga TBA

Jan. 5 NJIT* 7 p.m.

Jan. 9 at UMKC 6 p.m.

Jan. 12 Houston Baptist* 7 p.m.

Jan. 19 at UT-Pan Am* 6 p.m.

Jan. 26 at Chicago State* 3:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 Peru State 7 p.m.

Feb. 2 at CSU Bakersfield 8 p.m.

Feb. 9 UT-Pan Am* 7 p.m.

Feb. 11 Northern New Mexico 7 p.m.

Feb. 16 at NJIT* 2 p.m.

Feb. 18 Pacific Union 7 p.m.

Feb. 23 at Houston Baptist* 1 p.m.

Feb. 26 at North Dakota State 6 p.m.

March 2 Chicago State* 7 p.m.

March 9 CSU Bakersfield 7 p.m.

March 13-16 Great West Conference Tournament

*Great West Conference —

Utah Valley at IUPUI

P Season opener

Friday, noon

Note • For Utah Valley's complete schedule, visit http://www.sltrib.com/sports