Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Beth Dunkenberger, head basketball coach for Virginia Tech's women's basketball

Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Seth Greenberg, head basketball coach for Virginia Tech's men's basketball

Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Brad Greenberg, head basketball coach for Radford University's men's basketball

The Roanoke Times | File 2008

Tajama Abraham Ngongba, head basketball coach for Radford University's women's basketball

With college football's regular season drawing to a close this month, the hometown Hokies unable to fulfill their high expectations and the weather getting cooler, it's time to turn our attention to the hardwood.

Basketball season is upon the New River Valley, with the men's and women's teams at Radford University and Virginia Tech tipping off this week.

While the more-extenstive previews will be left for the Friday sports pages, we figured we'd go ahead and give you a taste of the upcoming Highlander and Hokie seasons.

Three of the four -- sorry, Radford women -- open their seasons at home this weekend. For full schedules, visit the New River Notebook at newrivervalley.com.

-- The Roanoke Times

RADFORD UNIVERSITY

Men's basketball

Season and home opener: Navy, 7 p.m. Friday

Mark your calendar: at Duke, Nov. 21; at Kansas, Dec. 9; at Louisville, Dec. 27

Coach: Brad Greenberg (31-32 in two seasons)

Last year's record: 21-12, 15-3 Big South, NCAA selection

Who's back: -- Artsiom Parakhouski (16.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 50 blocks, 26 steals); -- Joey Lynch-Flohr (13.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 48 assists); -- Amir Johnson (9.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 172 assists, 49 steals)

Who's not: -- Kenny Thomas (14.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 71 assists, 44 steals); -- Chris McEachin (8.7 ppg, 42 assists, 30 steals)

Tickets: $140, reserved season tickets; $112, faculty/staff season tickets; $80, general season tickets; $12, adult reserved; $8, general; $6, youth

Women's basketball

Season opener: At William & Mary, 2 p.m. Sunday

Home opener: Mount St. Mary's, 7 p.m. Nov. 21

Mark your calendar: Virginia Tech, Nov. 25; at North Carolina, Dec. 8

Coach: Tajama Abraham Ngongba (10-18 in one season)

Last year's record: 10-18, 9-7 Big South

Who's back: -- Kymesha Alston (11.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 17 blocks)

Who's not: -- Taleia Morton (14.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 41 steals), -- Johnette Walker (10.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 81 steals)

Tickets: $65, reserved season tickets; $52, faculty/staff season tickets; $6, adult general admission; $4, youth general admission

VIRGINIA TECH

Men's basketball

Season and home opener: Brown, 4 p.m. Sunday

Mark your calendar: Georgia, Dec. 6; North Carolina, Feb. 4; Virginia, Feb. 13

Coach: Seth Greenberg (88-70 in five seasons at RU)

Last year's record: 19-15, 7-9 ACC, NIT selection

Who's back: -- Malcolm Delaney (18.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 152 assists, 50 steals); -- Jeff Allen (13.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 42 blocks, 61 steals); -- JT Thompson (6.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 23 steals)

Who's not: -- A.D. Vassallo (19.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 88 assists, 29 blocks, 28 steals)

Tickets: $437, season tickets

Women's basketball

Season and home opener: Longwood, 7:30 p.m. Friday

Mark your calendar: Michigan, Dec. 3; Duke, Feb. 14

Coach: Beth Duckenberger (84-70 in five seasons)

Last year's record: 12-18, 2-13 ACC

Who's back: -- Utahya Drye (14.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 53 assists, 48 steals); -- Lindsay Biggs (12.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 65 assists); -- Nikki Davis (7.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 62 assists, 44 steals); -- Shanel Harrison (6.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 23 blocks, 29 steals); -- Brittany Gordon (6.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 31 blocks)

Who's not: N/A

Tickets: $90, reserved season tickets; $70, general admission season tickets; $30, reserved youth season tickets; $25, general admission youth season tickets