Aug. 10, 2016
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LOS ANGELES - Unlike last season when the LMU men's basketball team entered the new season with more new faces than you could count on one hand, they enter year three under Head Coach Mike Dunlap with some pieces in place. The Lions closed 2015-16 with some excitement, and fans will get plenty of chances to see the Lions build on that excitement in 2016-17.
The first look at the 2016-17 schedule is out, and the Lions will host at least 17 home games at Gersten Pavilion. The non-conference schedule will be highlighted by UConn making its first trip to Hanks House on Nov. 17, while the West Coast Conference slate will feature a new look.
"We considered last season as year one with such a big group of guys new to the program," said Dunlap. "This year those guys are a year older, and we can build on the foundation we set last year. This schedule for 2016-17 will give our fans a great chance to see why we are excited and will also challenge us every day to get better."
The season will begin at Gersten Pavilion on Friday, Nov. 11 when the Lions host Vanguard. After a trip to Nevada on Nov. 14, the Lions return home to face the Huskies on Nov. 17. The showdown with UConn begins a three-game homestead, which includes Portland State (Nov. 25) and Southern Utah (Dec. 8).
After five games against the Big West in 2015-16, the Lions will face just one in the upcoming season as they return the trip to CSUN on Dec. 10. The Lions defeated the Matadors 82-80 in overtime. The match-up with CSUN is one of just two against teams that were on the non-conference schedule a year ago. The other will see the Lions return to Fort Collins, Colo., to take on Colorado State. They fell to the Rams 83-75 last year. The Lions make the trip to the Rocky Mountains on Dec. 19, the third and final road game of non-conference play.
Prior to the Rams, the Lions are at home to take on Incarnate Word (Dec. 17) before ending non-conference with UT-Arlington (Dec. 22) and then Morgan State (Dec. 26) for the annual LMU Holiday Classic, which features free admission.
Conference play will begin at Gersten Pavilion and will be part of a four-game homestead to end the 2016 calendar year. The Lions' opening weekend is a one-two punch as they face Saint Mary's on Thursday, Dec. 29 and then BYU on Saturday, Dec. 31.
The new year begins with the Wells Fargo PCH Cup match-up with rival Pepperdine in Malibu on Jan. 5. The Lions then return home to face Santa Clara on Saturday, Jan. 7. The back-and-forth opening to WCC play continues with a trip to the Pacific Northwest to take on Gonzaga (Jan. 12) and Portland (Jan. 14). The Lions then are back home for San Diego on Jan. 19, return the trip to Santa Clara two days later on Jan. 21, return to Gersten Pavilion to face Pacific on Jan. 26 and then head back on the road for BYU on Jan. 28.
February begins with a more traditional road trip as the Lions travel to San Diego on Feb. 2 and then head to the Bay Area for San Francisco on Feb. 4.
LMU will then welcome Gonzaga (Feb. 9) and then Portland (Feb. 11) for LMU Family Weekend at Gersten Pavilion. The Lions will make their third trip to the Bay Area to face Saint Mary's on Feb. 16 before returning home for Pepperdine for the 2017 Homecoming and Hall of Fame Weekend on Feb. 18.
The final series of the regular season will see the Lions host San Francisco for Senior Day on Feb. 23 and then head to the Bay Area of the fifth time when they close with Pacific on Feb. 25.
The 2017 WCC Championships will once again be at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
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