A recruiting class ranked 11th  in the nation by ESPN, a team with one of the richest histories in college basketball, and a squad sporting potential future NBA lottery pick Cody Zeller. These are some of the challenges FAU will face in its quest to bounce back from a 11-19 season.

To tip off the season, FAU is set to face five-time national champion North Carolina and Mississippi State (ranked No. 16 when they defeated FAU in December last season) as part of the Maui Invitational Tournament. FAU also travels to Bloomington for a match with the projected top team in the nation, Indiana in the 2012-2013 season.

The Owls have 20 conference games, an increase from last year’s 16. There’s 14 games at home, starting with the opener on Nov. 24 against American. The final matchup with FIU as a member of the Sun Belt is March 2, senior night at The Burrow.

A list of the Owls 2012-2013 schedule:

Nov. 11 at North Carolina
Nov. 13 at Mississippi State
Nov. 17 vs. Coppin State (Elon, N.C.)
Nov. 18 vs. Elon/Colgate (Elon, N.C.)
Nov. 24 vs. American, 7 p.m.
Nov. 29 vs. South Alabama 7 p.m.
Dec. 1 vs. Arkansas State
Dec. 6 at Stetson
Dec. 9 vs. Warner Southern, 3 p.m.
Dec. 15 at Dayton
Dec. 18 vs. Stetson, 7 p.m.
Dec. 21 at Indiana
Dec. 27 at Troy
Dec. 29 at ULM
Jan. 1 vs. Hofstra, 2 p.m.
Jan. 3 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette , 7 p.m.
Jan. 10 at Middle Tennessee State
Jan. 12 at Western Kentucky
Jan. 17 vs. Troy , 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 vs. North Texas , 7 p.m.
Jan. 24 at UALR
Jan. 26 at Arkansas State
Jan. 31 vs. ULM 7 p.m.
Feb. 2 vs. Middle Tennessee State  7 p.m.
Feb. 7 at FIU
Feb. 9 at South Alabama
Feb. 14 vs. Western Kentucky , 7 p.m.
Feb. 16 at Louisiana-Lafayette
Feb. 21 at UNT
Feb. 23 vs. UALR  , 7 p.m.
Mar. 2 vs. FIU , 7 p.m.
Mar. 8-11 Sun Belt Championship, Hot Springs Ark.