Dec. 9, 2004

Los Angeles, CA (Dec. 9) -- The television portion of the Loyola Marymount University men's basketball season gets underway this weekend, and what a start it will be. The Lions will host 16th-ranked Washington at Gersten Pavilion on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 12:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports West2 and Northwest with Steve Physioc doing the play-by-play and Jack Haley providing analysis.

Tickets are still available for the game. To be at the game and part of the regional broadcast, call the LMU Ticket Office at (310) 338-6095.

The game against the Huskies is the first of eight games for the Lions on regional and local television. The Lions will play their next two on television as the Saturday, Dec. 18 game against San Diego State will be on San Diego Cox Channel 4.

Eight games are currently booked for television, four as part of the WCC Television package. The 2005 portion of the schedule will feature six games on Fox Sports Net. The Lions will open conference play at Gersten Pavilion with San Francisco on Jan. 7 (not on TV) and will then take on San Diego, Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:00 p.m. on Fox Sports Net West. The Lions will then take on Gonzaga on the road, Thursday, Jan. 13 on Fox Sports Net Northwest. The Pacific Northwest trip will conclude against Portland on Sunday, Jan. 16 on Fox Sports Net West 2 at 5:00 p.m.

In what has become a tradition, the Lions game at home against Pepperdine on Jan. 29 will be on Fox Sports West 2 at 7:00 p.m. The return game at Pepperdine will also by on West 2, Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. The Lions home finale against Gonzaga on Satuday, Feb. 12 will be on Fox Sports West starting at 6:00 p.m.

"From top to bottom, every team in this conference feels they have gotten better. It is going to be fun for our fans to watch us play this schedule," said Head Coach Steve Aggers. "This team is going to have to be mentally tough to meet the demands of such a quality schedule. It is part of us taking the next step. Our hope is that our great non-league schedule will prepare us for our league." - GO LIONS -