LOS ANGELES – The 2026-27 college basketball season officially kicks off on Wednesday evening for LMU. The Lions will host Queens University for the first time in program history after the Royals earned a Monday morning win as part of the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon.
 
Queens played a 9:00 AM local time game in Rock Hill, S.C., on Monday and will close out the day's slate on Wednesday with the last tip-off of the night in Los Angeles. The Royals, the reigning ASUN Champions and 2026 NCAA Tournament team, scored 103 points in their win over in-state rival Winthrop to kick off their year. 
 
This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The Queens University of Charlotte Royals officially became a full NCAA Division I member on July 1, 2025.
 
LMU will try to replicate the strong start that seventh-year head coach Stan Johnson and the team showed last season. In 2025-26, the Lions opened the year at 6-0, the best start of Coach Johnson's tenure with the program.
 
This year's LMU team has eight transfers and only four returning players to last year's 15-win roster. The Lions were able to face opposition in two opening season exhibition games ahead of the true season opener.
 
Newcomer All Wright was named to the West Coast Conference Preseason team during the offseason. Wright shared team-high honors with 13 points and three assists in the exhibition game against UC Santa Barbara.
 
Johnson enters the year with 87 career wins over his first six years, and within reach of making significant moves this season. Johnson is five wins away from taking over a top-3 position and has a chance with a strong year to overtake William J. Donovan's program-record 107 wins. Only Paul Westhead and Donovan have won 100 or more games as Head Coach of the Lions.
 
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and feature the return of Trey Bender and Bill Herenda on the call.
 
Get Tickets 
2026-27 MBB Promotional Schedule 
  
Game Information 

• Venue: Gersten Pavilion 
• Tipoff: 7:00 p.m. (PT) 
• Watch Live: ESPN+ 
• Live Stats 
• 2026-27 Men's Basketball Roster 

• Doors Open: 6 p.m. 
• Digital Tickets: Download the AXS Mobile App and add digital tickets to your phone's wallet (Apple App Store or Google Play).  
• Clear Bag Policy 
• Campus Parking Info 
• Directions to Gersten Pavilion (access campus through the main entrance on Lincoln Blvd.) 
• Interactive Westchester Campus Map 

• 2026-27 LMU men's basketball schedule poster giveaway 

• Tickets for the Queens University game start at just $20, with a limited number of courtside seats still available. (Gersten Pavilion 3D Seat Viewer) 
• Group tickets for this game are available for parties of 10 or more. 
• Single-game tickets, 4-Game WCC Weekend Mini Plans for just $59, and Season Ticket Packages starting at less than $10 per game are now on sale. 
• To purchase tickets, visit LMULions.com/tickets, call (310) 338-4537, email favian.velasco@lmu.edu, or complete the online form to be contacted by the LMU Ticket Office. 

• Current LMU students can get two complimentary alcoholic drinks (ages 21 and older with valid ID) and free admission to all regular-season men's basketball home games by downloading their personalized LEO Event Pass through the Corq mobile app. 

• The Tip Off Club hospitality area will be located on the second level of the west side of Gersten Pavilion. Hospitality will open for pregame and at halftime.  
• Check out the Tip-Off Club Game Day Guide. To become a member of the Tip Off Club, click here. 

• LMU hosts Lincoln University on Friday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in Gersten Pavilion. One lucky fan in attendance will win a $250 Starbucks gift card. (Buy Tickets) 
• Complete 2026-27 schedule 

• Follow LMU men's basketball on X, Facebook, and Instagram for the latest news, scores, and updates.