Three Conference USA squads took this approach during the summer, as Marshall, UCF and UTEP each traveled abroad and, according to first-year East Carolina coach Ricky Stokes, the Pirates could be making a trip of their own in the future.

“It's definitely possible as we look ahead and plan ahead because there's no question that there are some advantages to doing that,” Stokes said during the Conference USA Basketball Tipoff on Tuesday.

By rule, programs are allowed to take one trip out of the country every four years for competition against foreign teams. The teams are also permitted to get a jumpstart on the season with 10 days of practice prior to the trip.

Stokes has seen the benefits of a trip firsthand. As an assistant at South Carolina, he traveled with the Gamecocks to Canada prior to last season, a season in which USC eventually won the NIT postseason tournament.

“I think it's great to get some extra practices under your belt and get some extra games under your belt,” Stokes said. “I think it's advantageous also for the kids to jell and build some chemistry. So from that standpoint, it is a great opportunity.”

The trio of C-USA coaches whose teams traveled recently share Stokes' sentiments.

UCF coach Kirk Speraw took his team on a five-game trip through Europe, making stops in Holland, Belgium and France. The team toured historic royal palaces and churches along the way, while also visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

“It's a great trip not just from a basketball standpoint, but also just to see a different part of the world,” Speraw said. “A lot of guys will never get that opportunity. They enjoyed it and I think it really helped bring the team together.”

UTEP toured Madrid before playing three games in the Canary Islands. The trip gave the Miner players an early chance to play alongside some of the team's newcomers while also providing a slew of memories for the players.

“I would recommend a trip for other teams because I feel like it's a great bonding experience for the team during the offseason before school starts,” UTEP senior forward John Tofi said. “I also feel that it's good because you get to go explore more things outside of what you experience in your daily life. It helps make you a well-rounded person.”

One of the obstacles that teams face in traveling, however, is the cost. Marshall coach Ron Jirsa, whose squad ventured to the Bahamas during the summer, said he spent countless hours with boosters, raising the necessary funds. UTEP coach Doc Sadler did the same, as his team's trip was financed by the Rebounder's Club – a fundraising arm of UTEP basketball.

“We raised a lot of money for the trip, but it was really well spent,” Jirsa said. “On the court, I think everyone would say that the biggest benefit is the practices and getting into game conditions to see what guys do in those situations. And off the court, we try to promote our players getting to know each other in depth. When you go on a trip like that, you're able to do that.”

Marshall was joined by defending national champion North Carolina and Troy State in the Bahamas.

All the coaches acknowledged that the trips are particularly important for younger teams, and that the games are less about winning and losing than they are about developing an identity on the court.

“We had a couple of kids who were red-shirting a year ago and we felt like it was important for those guys to get some game experience,” Speraw said. “We needed to get out there and have someone step to the forefront from a leadership standpoint because we lost three seniors. That gave them the chance.”

Each coach added that it is a tradition they plan to continue as long as the NCAA permits it. Whether or not the Pirates follow the trend remains to be seen.