June 21, 2002

Los Angeles, CA (June 21, 2002) -- The Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team announced its 2002-2003 schedule, which will once again feature a tough non-conference portion that will have the Lions traveling to Alaska.

For the second consecutive season the Lions' will play in a non-conference, exempt tournament in the month of November. After earning a split in two games with play in the Guardian's Classic, the Lions will travel to Anchorage, Alaska, for the 25th annual Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout. The shootout has become known for annually featuring some of the best in collegiate basketball, and 2002 will be no different.

After starting the season at home with games against Loyola-Chicago (Nov. 22) and Sacramento State (Nov. 25), the Lions will head to Alaska the following day to take on perennial power Villanova in the first day of the Shootout on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28). The Lions will then take on either Michigan State or Montana, both of which played in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, in day two of the Shootout. The Lions will play a third game on Nov. 30. Other teams in the Great Alaska are Oklahoma State, Alaska Anchorage, College of Charleston and Wyoming. The Shootout, which will feature six teams that have been to the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons, will have game broadcast on ESPN.

A young Lions' squad, which will feature seven freshman and nine underclassman, will get experience quickly. They will play two exhibition games to start the season on Nov. 6 and Nov. 16 before starting the regular season with Loyola. After that, they will play four games in six days thanks to the Shootout.

Upon their return to Los Angeles, the Lions will travel to UC Irvine (Dec. 4) to take on the Anteaters, who have posted back-to-back 20-win seasons. LMU will then host both Cal State Fullerton (Dec. 7) and Long Beach State (Dec. 14) on consecutive Saturdays.

The Lions will close out December with trips to Cal Poly (Dec. 16) and Cal State Northridge (Dec. 19) before hosting Montana at Gersten Pavilion (Dec. 21). For the second year the Lions will travel to Montana, this time to Bozeman for the Montana State Tournament (Dec. 29-30). They will face Siena on the first day and take on either Montana State or South Carolina State on the final day.

The new year will begin with a trip to San Diego State (Jan. 3) and then the final non-conference tilt of the season at home against Point Loma (Jan. 6).

WCC action will begin at home for the Lions when they host rival Pepperdine (Jan. 11). They will then host San Francisco (Jan. 17) and Saint Mary's (Jan. 18) the following weekend to start conference play. The entire conference schedule will be officially released in late August to accommodate television scheduling.

2002-03 Non-Conference Opponents:
Home: Loyola-Chicago (Nov. 22), Sacramento State (Nov. 25), Cal State Fullerton (Dec. 7), Long Beach State (Dec. 14), Montana (Dec. 21), Point Loma (Jan. 6)
Away: Villanova (Nov. 28), Great Alaska Shootout (Nov. 29-30), UC Irvine (Dec. 4), Cal Poly (Decc. 16), Cal State Northridge (Dec. 19), Siena (Dec. 29), Montana State or So. Carolina State (Dec. 30), San Diego State (Jan. 3)

For information on how you can join the Lions in Alaska, click here.

-GO LIONS-