Nov. 11, 2009

The 2009-10 LMU men's basketball season will officially begin when the Lions head north to the University of Montana Tournament In Missoula, Mont., Nov. 13-15, at Dahlberg Arena (7,500). The Lions will once again start the season playing three games in three days, opening with Boise State on Friday at 5:05 p.m. (PT) Follow all the games live on KXLU 88.9 FM and online at www.LMULions.com.

COMPLETE WEEKLY RELEASE:

INSIDE THE LIONS
The 2009-10 Lions will open the new campaign missing something - seniors. The Lions roster is one of the youngest in the West Coast Conference as they feature eight freshman, seven sophomores and three juniors. The Lions also have something they didn't in 2008-09, numbers. LMU features a roster of 18 after going through most of last season with just nine active players. The lack of numbers and youth had the Lions finish 2008-09 at just 3-28 overall and 2-12 in the WCC. However, the Lions started three freshman and a sophomore the final half of the season once a rash of injuries was endured - including three post players out of the year by Dec. 13. The result is some experienced players coming back, including freshman Jarred DuBois, who became just the first freshman in LMU history to score more than 400 points and was named to the WCC All-Freshman team as a result. His numbers turned heads as he was named Preseason All-WCC this October. Also returning after a record-breaking first season is fellow second-year player, Kevin Young. He turned heads at the WCC tournament with a 20-point, eight-rebound performance and broke the freshman record for rebounds with 224, the first freshman to break the 200-barrier.

THE MONTANA TOURNAMENT
The Karl Tyler Chevrolet Grizzly Basketball Tournament, hosted by the University of Montana, is their first home tournament since 2003 and features Boise State, North Dakota, the host Grizzlies and LMU. The Lions and Boise State will open the tournament on Friday, Nov. 13 at 6:05 p.m., local time (5:05 pm PT), followed by Montana-North Dakota at 8:05 p.m. (7:05 pm PT). Then on Saturday, Nov. 14 the Lions will take on North Dakota in the first game at 6:05 p.m. (5:05 pm PT), followed by Boise State-Montana at 8:05 p.m. (7:05 pm PT). Boise State-North Dakota will open the final day on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1:05 (12:05 pm PT), while the Lions will close the tournament against the host at 3:05 p.m. (2:05 pm PT). While it will be the first meeting for the Lions against North Dakota, it will be the fifth against Boise State and eighth against Montana. The series is tied at 2-2 with the Broncos, LMU winning the last two. The Grizzlies have owned the series, winning six of the seven. All three of the Lions' games will be on KXLU 88.9 FM and fans can follow the game through LiveStats, links can be found on LMULions.com.